Buffalo Mac and Cheese

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Buffalo Mac and Cheese

This buffalo mac and cheese recipe puts a bold, spicy spin on a classic! With juicy shredded chicken, buffalo hot sauce, and three types of cheese, baked until bubbly.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Resting Time5

Total Time45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: buffalo mac and cheese

Servings: servings

Author: Katerina | Diethood

Equipment

Casserole Dish

Ingredients

For the chicken:

¾ pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
½ tablespoon olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon paprika or to taste

For the mac and cheese:

½ pound elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1¼ cups milk
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese divided
¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese divided
½ cup buffalo sauce
¼ cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

Instructions

Prep the chicken. Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound it with a meat mallet to an even thickness.
Add seasonings. Brush the chicken with olive oil and season with ¼ teaspoon paprika, salt, and pepper to taste.
Bake the chicken. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. The inner temperature of the chicken should reach 165˚F. Set the cooked chicken aside to cool. Once cooled, shred it by using two forks or a meat shredder. Note: You can skip this step if you have cooked or rotisserie chicken leftovers.
Cook the macaroni. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
Make a roux. Melt the butter in a large saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes or until golden. Pour in the milk, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened, for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add cheese. Stir half of the cheddar and half of the Monterey Jack cheese into the sauce until melted and combined.
Combine. Stir in the buffalo sauce and the cooked macaroni. Finally, mix in the shredded chicken.
Prep for baking. Lower the oven temperature to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Fill the pan. Add the macaroni mixture to the baking dish, topping with the remaining cheddar, Monterey jack cheese, and crumbled gorgonzola cheese.
Bake. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
Serve. Remove the mac and cheese from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Always use quality pasta for the best results.
Use pepper jack cheese instead of Monterey jack cheese for an additional kick of heat.
If your sauce is too thick, add ¼ cup of pasta water to thin it out to a desired consistency.
Alternative stovetop method: This recipe can also be made without baking. Combine all three types of cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, gorgonzola), chicken, and pasta into the prepared sauce, stirring until the cheese is melted and the chicken is warmed through. Serve as desired.

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