Description
A spicy, creamy, and cheesy family favorite that combines sharp cheddar, buffalo sauce, and rotisserie chicken in a crispy baked mac and cheese. It’s a complete one-bowl meal that is ready in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- ½ cup buffalo sauce (e.g., Frank’s RedHot)
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups cooked chicken, diced
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 stalks green onions, sliced
- Ranch dressing (for serving)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Dice the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Do not rinse the pasta.
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour to make a roux, cooking for about 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in milk, continuing to whisk until the mixture thickens and simmers (3-4 minutes).
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream cheese until melted, then add cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, stirring until smooth and glossy. Add pasta water if needed to adjust consistency.
- Remove skillet from heat and stir in buffalo sauce.
- Add the cooked pasta and diced chicken to the cheese sauce, stirring to coat evenly. Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and sprinkle evenly over the top.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling. Optionally broil for 2 minutes for extra crispiness.
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with green onions and ranch dressing.
Notes
Grate your own cheese to ensure smooth melting. Save pasta water to help thicken the sauce. Cream cheese stabilizes the buffalo sauce mixture. This dish does not freeze well due to the dairy content; store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 950
- Fat: 26
- Saturated Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 28
Keywords: buffalo chicken, mac and cheese, baked pasta, family dinner, easy recipes, comfort food, spicy mac and cheese, rotisserie chicken