I’m so excited to share my Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe with you! This is creamy, spicy, and cheesy comfort food with shredded chicken tossed in hot sauce and blended into a three-cheese sauce. It is perfect for game day, a family dinner, or whenever you want something rich and satisfying.
Level: Easy
Total Time: 45 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Course: Main dish, Pasta
Cuisine: American
I first tried a version of this at a ballpark and I loved it so much I recreated it at home. The idea is simple and brilliant. Cooked pasta is folded into a smooth cheese sauce that has cheddar and Monterey Jack for creaminess. Buffalo hot sauce wakes everything up and crumbled blue cheese adds tangy bites. Tender pieces of rotisserie chicken finish the dish so every forkful has protein and spicy flavor.
This recipe uses everyday ingredients and is very adaptable. You can make it milder by adding less hot sauce or make it spicier by adding more. It comes together on the stove in under an hour and everybody usually asks for seconds.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
What we do in plain steps:
• Cook the elbow macaroni until tender and drain it.
• Make a roux with butter and flour, then add milk to make a smooth cheese sauce.
• Stir in shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack until melted.
• Add hot sauce to taste and fold in shredded chicken and crumbled blue cheese.
• Combine with the pasta and serve hot.
Ingredients
• 1 pound elbow macaroni (16 ounce package)
• 1 rotisserie chicken, meat shredded and chopped into bite sized pieces
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 6 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 3 cups milk, warmed slightly
• Pinch ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup hot sauce such as Frank’s RedHot, or more to taste
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola
Optional garnish
• Chopped fresh chives or parsley
• Extra hot sauce on the table
Directions
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender yet still slightly firm to the bite, about 7 to 9 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Remove the wings and legs from the rotisserie chicken and shred the dark meat into bite sized pieces. You can also chop some white meat if you prefer more lean meat.
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until a thick paste forms. Cook for about 1 minute while whisking so the raw flour taste cooks out.
- Slowly pour in the warm milk while whisking constantly. Keep whisking until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 5 minutes. Continue stirring for another minute so the sauce is smooth. Reduce the heat and season with a pinch of black pepper.
- Stir in the shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack until they are fully melted and the sauce is smooth. If the sauce seems too thick, add a little more milk until you reach the texture you like.
- Stir the hot sauce into the cheese sauce, start with 1/2 cup and add more later if you want extra heat. Taste and adjust.
- Add the shredded chicken and crumbled blue cheese to the sauce. Fold gently to combine so the chicken warms through and the blue cheese blends into pockets.
- Add the cooked macaroni to the pot and stir until all of the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Serve hot topped with chopped chives or parsley and a drizzle of extra hot sauce if desired.
Process Details
• Pasta texture: Cook the macaroni to “al dente” so it holds up in the sauce. It should be tender but not mushy.
• Cheese sauce: Making a roux with butter and flour gives the sauce body. Whisking milk in slowly prevents lumps. Keep the heat moderate to avoid scorching.
• Buffalo flavor: Hot sauce adds vinegar and chili heat. Adding it to the sauce rather than only tossing with chicken makes the heat part of every bite.
• Blue cheese: It gives a punchy, salty contrast to the creamy cheese base. If you do not like blue cheese you can omit it or swap in crumbled feta for milder tang.
Tips for Success
• Use freshly shredded cheese rather than pre-shredded for the smoothest melt. Pre-shredded cheese often contains anti clumping agents that can affect texture.
• Warm the milk before adding to the roux. Cold milk slows thickening and makes lumps more likely.
• If you like this spicier, add a pinch of cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce at a time until you reach the level you enjoy.
• Make ahead: You can prepare the cheese sauce and chicken in advance. Combine with pasta and reheat gently on the stove, stirring, or bake briefly in a 350 F oven until bubbly.
• To keep it lighter, use low fat milk and slightly reduce the amount of cheese. The dish will be less rich but still tasty.
Serving Ideas
• Serve with crisp celery sticks and carrot sticks for a classic Buffalo pairing.
• A simple green salad with a bright vinaigrette cuts through the richness.
• Offer crusty bread or garlic knots for mopping up extra sauce.
• This is a great game day dish. Set out extra hot sauce and blue cheese crumbles so guests can customize.
Storage & Freezing
• Refrigerator: Cool the leftovers to room temperature, place in an airtight container, and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stove over low heat, stirring until warm. Add a splash of milk if the sauce tightens up.
• Freezing: This mac and cheese freezes okay but the sauce can separate slightly after thawing because of the dairy. If you want to freeze, portion into freezer safe containers, freeze up to 3 months, and thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat slowly and stir to recombine. Adding a small splash of milk while reheating helps restore creaminess.
Nutrition Info (Approximate per Serving)
• Calories: 781
• Protein: 47 g
• Carbohydrates: 52 g
• Fat: 42 g
• Saturated Fat: 23 g
• Sodium: 978 mg
These numbers are estimates based on typical ingredient choices and the original recipe proportions. Your exact values will vary with brands and portions.
My Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is creamy, bold, and satisfying. I love how the hot sauce flavors the whole dish while blue cheese gives little bursts of tang. It is easy to scale up for a crowd and very forgiving if you want to tweak the heat or the cheese. I hope you enjoy making it and sharing it as much as I do.