Buffalo Chicken Pasta

My neighbor showed up one Tuesday night with a Tupperware full of leftover rotisserie chicken and asked if I could do something with it. I had pasta, butter, and a bottle of buffalo sauce in the back of the fridge. What started as a favor turned into one of those accidental weeknight wins that I now make on purpose. The kitchen smelled like a sports bar, but in the best way possible.

I made this for a group of friends during a playoff game, and it disappeared faster than the appetizers. Someone asked if I catered it. I laughed and told them it was just pasta, chicken, and a little bit of chaos in a skillet. Now it's the dish people text me about before they come over.

Ingredients

• Penne or rotini pasta: The ridges and tubes grab onto the sauce beautifully, so every bite is full of flavor instead of slipping off like it would with spaghetti.
• Cooked, shredded chicken breast: Rotisserie chicken is your best friend here, it saves time and adds a subtle roasted flavor that plain poached chicken just cannot match.
• Buffalo wing sauce: This is the star, so use a brand you actually like eating with wings, because that flavor is going straight into every corner of this dish.
• Unsalted butter: It mellows the heat and adds a silky richness that makes the sauce cling to the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom.
• Heavy cream: This is what transforms sharp buffalo sauce into something cozy and comforting without losing the kick.
• Shredded mozzarella cheese: It melts smooth and stretchy, giving the sauce body and a mild creaminess that balances the tang.
• Cream cheese, softened: Let it sit on the counter for twenty minutes before you start, or it will clump up in the sauce and you will spend forever whisking it smooth.
• Garlic powder: Fresh garlic can burn in the skillet, but the powder dissolves right into the sauce and adds a warm, savory backbone.
• Onion powder: It adds a subtle sweetness that rounds out the sharpness of the buffalo sauce without competing with it.
• Smoked paprika: Just half a teaspoon gives the sauce a faint smoky depth that makes people wonder what your secret ingredient is.
• Blue cheese, crumbled: This is non-negotiable for me, the funky, salty bite on top is what makes it taste like the real thing.
• Chopped fresh chives or green onions: A handful of green at the end makes it look less like cafeteria food and more like something you meant to do.

Instructions

Boil the pasta:

Bring a big pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook your pasta until it still has a little bite in the center. Drain it well, because watery pasta will dilute your sauce and make everything sad.

Start the buffalo base:

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then pour in the buffalo sauce and stir it around until it is bubbling gently. The butter smooths out the vinegar tang and makes the sauce feel luxurious instead of sharp.

Add the cream cheese:

Lower the heat and drop in the softened cream cheese, whisking constantly until it dissolves into the sauce without any lumps. If you skip the softening step, you will be whisking forever and cursing under your breath.

Stir in the cream and mozzarella:

Pour in the heavy cream slowly, whisking as you go, then add the shredded mozzarella along with the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Keep stirring until the cheese melts completely and the sauce looks smooth and glossy.

Toss in the chicken:

Add your shredded chicken to the skillet and stir until every piece is coated in that creamy buffalo goodness. Let it warm through for a minute or two so the chicken soaks up some of the sauce.

Combine with pasta:

Add the drained pasta directly into the skillet and toss everything together with tongs or a big spoon until the pasta is completely coated. If it looks too thick, you can add a splash of pasta water to loosen it up.

Serve and top:

Transfer to bowls and sprinkle generously with crumbled blue cheese and a handful of chopped chives or green onions. Serve it immediately while it is still hot and creamy, because it thickens as it cools.

Pin Now

The first time I served this to my brother, he ate two bowls and then asked if I could teach him how to make it. He is the kind of person who thinks boiling water is complicated. We stood in my kitchen the next weekend, and he actually pulled it off. Now he makes it for his girlfriend and pretends he invented it.

Choosing Your Pasta Shape

Penne and rotini are my go-to shapes because their ridges and twists grab onto the sauce like they were designed for this exact dish. I tried making it with spaghetti once, and the sauce just slid off into a puddle at the bottom of the bowl. If you want every bite to taste like buffalo chicken instead of plain noodles with a side of sauce, pick a shape with texture and pockets.

Adjusting the Heat Level

Not everyone loves their face melting off at dinner, so I have learned to keep the buffalo sauce at half a cup and let people add hot sauce at the table if they want more. If you are feeding someone who thinks black pepper is spicy, you can cut the buffalo sauce down to a quarter cup and add an extra splash of cream. On the flip side, if you want it hotter, a pinch of cayenne or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce stirred in at the end will do the trick without throwing off the balance.

Storing and Reheating

Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container, and honestly, they taste even better the next day once the flavors have had time to marry. When you reheat it, the sauce will have thickened up, so add a few tablespoons of milk or cream and stir it over medium heat until it loosens back up. Do not microwave it on high or the cheese will separate and get greasy.

• Store in a sealed container and keep it in the fridge for up to three days.
• Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of cream or milk to restore the creamy texture.
• If you are freezing it, leave out the blue cheese topping and add it fresh after reheating.

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This dish has become my default answer when someone asks what I am good at making. It is fast, it is bold, and it makes people happy without requiring a culinary degree or a full Saturday afternoon.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I use rotisserie chicken instead of cooking my own?

Yes, rotisserie chicken is an excellent time-saving substitute. Simply shred it and add it to the sauce in step 5. This reduces prep time significantly while maintaining the same delicious flavor.

→ How do I adjust the spice level?

For milder flavor, reduce the buffalo sauce amount or add extra cream cheese. For more heat, add cayenne pepper, extra hot sauce, or use a spicier buffalo sauce. Taste as you go to reach your preferred level.

→ What's the best pasta shape for this dish?

Penne and rotini work wonderfully because their ridges and curves catch the creamy sauce. Farfalle or rigatoni are equally good alternatives. Avoid long thin pastas like spaghetti that don't hold the sauce as well.

→ Can I make this dairy-free?

You can substitute dairy ingredients with plant-based alternatives: use coconut cream or oat cream for heavy cream, dairy-free cream cheese, and vegan mozzarella. The flavor will differ slightly but remains delicious and creamy.

→ How should I store leftovers?

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of cream to restore creaminess. Avoid microwaving to prevent the sauce from becoming grainy.

→ What wine pairs well with this dish?

A crisp, light white wine like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc complements the spicy, creamy flavors beautifully. Alternatively, a cold lager beer pairs excellently with the buffalo spice and tangy blue cheese finish.