Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Buffalo chicken pasta brings a kick of heat to the table with a creamy, spicy sauce ready in 35 minutes! 

Why this recipe works

Buffalo chicken pasta is the creamier version of our buffalo chicken casserole. It combines a mouth-watering cream cheese and hot sauce mixture with hearty penne pasta and tender chicken. It’s equal parts creamy, spicy, and satisfying and makes it to the table in around 35 minutes from start to finish. 

While this dish isn’t burning-the-tongue spicy, the nice kick of heat against a creamy backdrop is more of a welcoming tingly sensation. Even those who aren’t huge hot sauce lovers will enjoy a heaping bowl of tangy buffalo chicken pasta.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

PASTA – Penne, mostaccioli, ziti, or rigatoni all work well in this recipe.

CHICKEN – You will need 2 cups of cooked chicken breasts. Cook up about 2 chicken breasts or cube a precooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Chicken thigh meat will also work!

SAUCE – Feel free to use your favorite brand of hot sauce here, we like to use Franks Red Hot. The cream cheese, heavy cream, mozzarella, and parmesan add creamy richness to the dish, I wouldn’t recommend substituting. On top of those we’ll add canned diced tomatoes, sliced onions, and minced garlic for flavor and texture. 

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Pasta

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add minced garlic and stir, cooking for 1 minute. Add in onion and cook/stir another 2-3 minutes or until tender.
2. Add diced tomatoes and stir together. Add in cream cheese and use the back of the spatula to smash it so you can stir everything together.
3. Pour in heavy whipping cream, both cheeses, and hot sauce. Stir to combine.
4. Add in cooked chicken and cooked pasta. Stir everything together and cook a few more minutes or until heated through.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Serving Suggestions

Serve buffalo chicken pasta with garlic bread or breadsticks on the side. A fresh dinner salad is always a welcome starter to a pasta meal as well! Enjoy warm with a garnish of bleu cheese crumbles and sliced chives. 

More Pasta Recipes

• Cajun Chicken Pasta
• Buffalo Chicken Casserole
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
• Penne with Tomato Sage Sausage Sauce
• Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

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Buffalo Chicken Pasta

This easy buffalo chicken pasta recipe is equal parts creamy, spicy, and satisfying! Plus, it's all made in a single pan.

5 from 4 votes

IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 servings (9 cups total)

35 minutes mins

Calories: 921

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

• ▢ 8 ounces penne pasta cooked al dente
• ▢ 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
• ▢ 1 Tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• ▢ ½ cup sliced onions
• ▢ ½ cup canned diced tomatoes slightly drained, see notes below
• ▢ 2 ounces cream cheese
• ▢ 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• ▢ ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ▢ ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• ▢ ¼ cup hot sauce such as Frank's red hot

Things You’ll Need

• ▢
  Large heavy bottomed skillet with deep sides
• ▢
  Rubber spatula

Before You Begin

• We didn’t drain the tomatoes completely, but did drain off excess.
• Penne, mostaccioli, ziti, or rigatoni all work well in this recipe.
• You will need 2 cups of cooked chicken breasts. Cook up about 2 chicken breasts or cube a precooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Chicken thigh meat will also work!
• Feel free to use your favorite brand of hot sauce here, we like to use Franks Red Hot.

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add minced garlic and stir, cooking for 1 minute. Add in onion and cook/stir another 2-3 minutes or until tender.
• Add diced tomatoes and stir together. Add in cream cheese and use the back of the spatula to smash it so you can stir everything together.
• Pour in heavy cream, both cheeses, and hot sauce. Stir to combine.
• Add in cooked chicken and cooked pasta. Stir everything together and cook a few more minutes or until heated through.

Expert Tips & FAQs

• Store cooled leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a microwave adding a small splash of water to help remoisten. You can also reheat it over medium-low heat in a skillet, stirring often.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (2 1/4 cup) | Calories: 921cal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 61g | Saturated Fat: 35g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 230mg | Sodium: 880mg | Potassium: 579mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2217IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 313mg | Iron: 2mg

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