This buffalo mac and cheese recipe places a daring, spicy spin on basic consolation meals! It’s filled with wealthy, tangy buffalo scorching sauce, juicy shredded hen, and three sorts of cheese, baked till it’s scorching and bubbly.
Lovers of spicy buffalo hen and buffalo hen pasta, put together to satisfy the macaroni and cheese of your goals!
Between my Buffalo hen and rice casserole and stovetop dip, it’s secure to say I’m not-so-mildly obsessive about buffalo scorching sauce. So, it was solely a matter of time earlier than I labored it into one other one in all my favourite consolation meals meals: macaroni and cheese! This buffalo mac and cheese is all the things I imagined it might be. Tacky (that a lot is a given), saucy, filled with juicy bites of hen, and simply spicy sufficient to get the tastebuds tingling.
Why I Love This Buffalo Hen Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Daring buffalo taste. Buffalo scorching sauce brings tons of taste to this recipe. I like that the tangy warmth of the buffalo sauce will get tempered completely by a beneficiant quantity of melted cheese. In fact, be happy to make use of a light buffalo sauce if you happen to’re delicate to spice.
- Baked within the oven. I like baked mac and cheese. The within turns into gooey and bubbly whereas the cheese on high will get all toasty and golden. Drool. Nevertheless, it’s additionally wonderful to skip the baking step if you happen to’re quick on time. Your buffalo mac and cheese will nonetheless end up scrumptious!
- Fast to prep. Did I point out that this mac and cheese wants solely 10 minutes of prep earlier than you pop it into the oven? Take into account this your signal to make it ASAP!
Substances You’ll Want
These are the components that go into this do-it-yourself buffalo mac and cheese, plus some notes and substitutions (if you happen to want them). Scroll to the recipe card under the publish for the printable components record and recipe directions. I’ve additionally included a photograph step-by-step under the recipe card that walks you thru how one can make it!
- Hen Breasts – Boneless, skinless hen breasts (or thighs) are best to shred. You can additionally use leftover baked hen breasts or a store-bought or air fryer rotisserie hen.
- Seasoning – Olive oil, paprika, salt, and pepper to coat the hen.
- Elbow Macaroni – The perfect pasta dishes depend upon the standard of your pasta. I like to recommend slow-dried semolina pasta comprised of 100% durum wheat.
- Butter, Flour, and Milk – You’ll mix these components to make béchamel, which is the bottom for the cheese sauce in mac and cheese recipes. I take advantage of unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, and complete milk (you should use any form of milk you’d like).
- Cheese – I like a mixture of melty cheddar and Monterey Jack in my mac and cheese. For an additional kick, you possibly can additionally use Pepper Jack. Remember to grate the cheese contemporary in order that it melts easily.
- Buffalo Sauce – Select your favourite model from the shop, like Frank’s Crimson Scorching. Or, borrow the do-it-yourself Buffalo sauce from my air fryer buffalo cauliflower recipe.
- Gorgonzola Cheese – I can’t resist including a sprinkle of tangy, funky crumbled blue cheese to this buffalo macaroni and cheese. The mix at all times jogs my memory of buffalo hen wings dipped in blue cheese sauce!
Suggestions and Variations
- Use high quality pasta. The higher the pasta, the higher your pasta dinners will probably be!
- Not a fan of blue cheese? As a substitute of topping this mac and cheese with gorgonzola, drizzle the highest with ranch dressing earlier than serving.
- Save the pasta water. Earlier than you drain the boiled macaroni noodles, put aside a few cup of the starchy pasta water, simply in case. This fashion, if the cheese sauce is simply too thick in a while, you may add ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water (or extra if wanted) to get it to the precise consistency. The starches additionally assist emulsify the sauce.
- Verify the hen for doneness. When cooking the hen breast on this recipe, test that the hen is cooked via by taking the inner temperature utilizing an instant-read thermometer. It’s finished when it hits 165ºF.
- Totally different protein. Exchange shredded hen with pulled pork or shredded or floor beef. Go away the meat out altogether to make a vegetarian buffalo mac and cheese.
- Add-ins. Stir in cooked crumbled bacon, diced jalapeños, or veggies, like onions, bell peppers, or chopped steamed broccoli.
Serving Strategies
My favourite option to serve this baked buffalo mac and cheese is with a aspect of one thing contemporary, like an avocado salad or inexperienced bean salad. Italian grissini breadsticks additionally make a pleasant, gentle bread aspect, and I like this baked battered shrimp as a starter.
In any other case, if we’re craving consolation, I’ll make a batch of air fryer potato wedges or corn ribs whereas the mac and cheese is within the oven. These additionally make nice sides at any time when I make this buffalo mac and cheese for a soccer or recreation day social gathering!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Retailer this buffalo mac and cheese lined within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
- Reheat. I like to recommend reheating leftovers in a 350ºF oven for 20 minutes or so, or till the mac and cheese is scorching all through. Or, reheat parts within the microwave in 30-second increments.
- Freeze. It’s also possible to freeze this mac and cheese for as much as 3 months. Thaw it within the fridge in a single day earlier than reheating.
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Prep the hen. Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Place the hen between two items of plastic wrap and pound it with a meat mallet to an excellent thickness.
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Add seasonings. Brush the hen with olive oil and season with ¼ teaspoon paprika, salt, and pepper to style.
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Bake the hen. Switch the hen to a baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes or till cooked via. The interior temperature of the hen ought to attain 165˚F. Set the cooked hen apart to chill. As soon as cooled, shred it by utilizing two forks or a meat shredder. Be aware: You’ll be able to skip this step you probably have cooked or rotisserie hen leftovers.
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Prepare dinner the macaroni. Deliver a big pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare dinner the macaroni in keeping with the bundle instructions. As soon as cooked, drain and put aside.
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Make a roux. Soften the butter in a big saucepan set over medium-high warmth. Add the flour and prepare dinner, stirring for 1-2 minutes or till golden. Pour within the milk, whisking continuously, till the sauce is thickened, for five minutes. Season to style with salt and pepper.
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Add cheese. Stir half of the cheddar and half of the Monterey Jack cheese into the sauce till melted and mixed.
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Mix. Stir within the buffalo sauce and the cooked macaroni. Lastly, combine within the shredded hen.
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Prep for baking. Decrease the oven temperature to 350ºF. Evenly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
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Fill the pan. Add the macaroni combination to the baking dish, topping with the remaining cheddar, Monterey jack cheese, and crumbled gorgonzola cheese.
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Bake. Bake for 20 minutes or till the cheese is golden and bubbly.
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Serve. Take away the mac and cheese from the oven and let it relaxation for five minutes earlier than serving.
- At all times use high quality pasta for the very best outcomes.
- Use pepper jack cheese as an alternative of Monterey jack cheese for an extra kick of warmth.
- In case your sauce is simply too thick, add ¼ cup of pasta water to skinny it out to a desired consistency.
- Various stovetop technique: This recipe may also be made with out baking. Mix all three varieties of cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, gorgonzola), hen, and pasta into the ready sauce, stirring till the cheese is melted and the hen is warmed via. Function desired.
Serving: 1.5cups | Energy: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 27g | Fats: 19g | Saturated Fats: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 5g | Trans Fats: 0.2g | Ldl cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 932mg | Potassium: 410mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 543IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 305mg | Iron: 1mg
Dietary data is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values could differ in keeping with the components and instruments used. Please use your most well-liked dietary calculator for extra detailed data.
Find out how to Make Buffalo Mac and Cheese
Observe the steps under to have this buffalo hen mac and cheese assembled and within the oven in literal minutes. And if you happen to don’t really feel like baking it, I’ve included simple stovetop instructions afterward.
- Prep the hen. Begin by pounding the hen breasts to an excellent thickness between two items of plastic wrap, the identical as you’d for hen paillard. Then, rub the hen with olive oil and season with paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Prepare dinner the hen. Prepare dinner the hen breasts utilizing your most well-liked technique. I often bake them within the oven at 450ºF for 15-20 minutes. It’s also possible to prepare dinner the hen following my stovetop, On the spot Pot, or air fryer strategies.
- Shred. As soon as the hen is cooked and cooled, use two forks or a set of shredding claws to shred it.
- Prepare dinner the pasta. Subsequent, boil the macaroni in a pot of salted water. When it’s al dente, drain and set the pasta apart (don’t neglect to avoid wasting pasta water!).
- Make a roux. In the meantime, mix flour with melted butter in a saucepot. Let the flour prepare dinner and brown for 1-2 minutes, then whisk within the milk to make a roux.
- Put all of it collectively. As soon as the roux thickens, soften within the shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese. Add the buffalo sauce and cooked macaroni, and at last, stir within the shredded hen.
- Bake. Switch the mac and cheese to a greased 9×13” baking dish. Sprinkle over the remaining shredded cheese and crumble over the gorgonzola. Then, bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes till golden and bubbly.
Stovetop Technique
You may make this buffalo mac and cheese with out the oven, too. To skip the baking step, merely mix the topping cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, and gorgonzola) with the shredded hen and pasta within the ready buffalo cheese sauce. Stir till all the things is melted and warmed via, and serve immediately.
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