Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese with Quick Spicy Cheese Sauce

The first time I made this buffalo chicken mac and cheese, I accidentally used ghost pepper hot sauce instead of buffalo. Yep, nearly blew my face off. But once I dialed down the heat and figured out a smoother, creamy cheese sauce (more on that below), everything just fell into spicy-comfort-food place.

Quick Recipe Overview

This buffalo chicken mac and cheese skips the heavy roux and dives straight into a velvety, spicy cheese sauce that takes under 10 minutes. I use leftover rotisserie chicken for ease and amp up the flavor with a heavy splash of Frank’s RedHot. My cousin keeps requesting it for game days—this is not a drill.

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked chicken — rotisserie is my weeknight hero; just shred and go
• 8 oz elbow macaroni — or honestly, use shells if you want more saucy bites
• 2 tbsp butter — salted, because life’s too short
• 4 oz cream cheese — soften it first or you’ll hate everything
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar — please, shred it yourself
• 1 cup whole milk — warm it up a little so the sauce doesn’t break
• 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce — I go with Frank’s (original), not the pre-buttered stuff
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder — or double it if you’re garlic-obsessed like I am
• Salt + black pepper to taste
• Optional: green onions for topping… but only if you’re fancy

Smart Substitutions:

• No cream cheese? Sub in 1/2 cup sour cream for a tangier vibe.
• Lactose-free? Use oat milk and a block of Daiya cheddar — not as melty, but still tasty.
• Spiciness cautious? Cut the buffalo sauce to 1/4 cup and mix it with a mild ranch.

Timing & Difficulty

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Honestly very doable — the only tricky bit is making sure the cheese sauce doesn’t go lumpy on you. But no flour, no roux, no baking. Quicker than those fancy baked buffalo chicken mac and cheese recipes.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Cook the pasta

Boil your macaroni until it’s al dente — aim for just shy of the box instructions.

Mini tip: Salt your water like it’s the ocean — under-salted pasta ruins the whole thing.

Drain and set aside, but don’t rinse. That starch helps the sauce cling (yes, cling!).

Step 2: Make the base of the cheese sauce

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and toss in the cream cheese. Stir until everything’s kinda smooth — it may look weird at first, but keep going.

Cautionary tale: Don’t crank the heat. I did that once and scorched the cream cheese. Stunk up the kitchen for hours.

Step 3: Add milk and buffalo sauce

Slowly whisk in the warmed milk and buffalo sauce. Stir until smooth. It’ll start to smell very… Buffalo Wild Wings-esque around here.

Mini tip: Warm milk helps keep the cheese from clumping weirdly later. Don’t skip this.

Step 4: Melt in the cheese

Drop in the shredded cheddar a handful at a time. Keep stirring until it looks glossy and smooth and you kinda want to dive into it.

Cautionary tale: I once dumped in all the cheese at once and it just… stayed clumpy. Learn from me.

Step 5: Add chicken and pasta

Toss your shredded chicken and cooked pasta into the cheesy lava. Stir until every noodle and chunk of chicken is coated in spicy, creamy glory.

Mini tip: Let it sit for 2–3 minutes before serving — helps everything thicken up and settle.

Chef’s Tips & Tricks

• Don’t use pre-shredded cheese — it doesn’t melt right and has weird anti-caking stuff
• Warm the milk! Cold milk into hot stuff = broken sauce
• Use rotisserie chicken while it’s still warm — it blends better and tastes fresher
• If you’re into blue cheese, crumble some on top after serving — not before, or it’ll melt in and… it’s not pretty

Nutrition & Healthier Alternatives

• Calories: around 580 per serving
• Protein: 32g
• Fat: 28g
• Carbs: 48g

 Healthier swaps:

• Whole wheat pasta adds a nutty depth and holds up better in leftovers
• Swap cream cheese for Greek yogurt if you’re feeling light
• Use shredded turkey breast instead of chicken — honestly just as hearty, a little leaner

Serving & Pairing Ideas

• Serve with celery sticks and a ranch drizzle on the side — wing night vibes
• Pair with a cold ginger ale or even a lemon LaCroix (trust me on this)
• Top with crushed butter crackers if you’re into a lil texture crunch — my nephew weirdly loves that

Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them

• Cheese sauce broke? You probably added the cheese too fast or the milk was cold — been there.
• Pasta too mushy? Pull it 2 minutes early. I forget sometimes, then regret deeply.
• Too salty? If your buffalo sauce is super sodium-packed, skip adding more salt till the end.

Storage & Leftovers

• Lasts: 3–4 days in the fridge
• Reheating: I do it on the stove with a dash of milk to revive the sauce
• Freezing? Yeah… you can, but the texture gets kind of grainy. Still edible, though better fresh.

FAQs

1: Can I make this buffalo chicken mac and cheese recipe ahead of time?
Totally — just keep the sauce separate until you’re ready to reheat and serve.

2: What’s the easiest buffalo chicken mac and cheese crockpot method?
Dump cooked pasta, chicken, cheese sauce, and a bit of extra milk into the slow cooker on low for 1–2 hours. Stir once halfway through.

3: How do I make buffalo chicken mac and cheese less spicy?
Use half the buffalo sauce or mix it with ranch to mellow it out. You can even sub with mild wing sauce.

4: Can I use shredded frozen chicken in this buffalo chicken mac and cheese recipe?
Yep. Just make sure it’s thawed and warm before mixing in, or your sauce will seize up.

5: Is buffalo chicken mac and cheese crockpot-friendly for parties?
Definitely. Make a double batch, keep it on warm in the crockpot, and stir occasionally. I do this every Super Bowl.

Final Thoughts

If you’re still reading this and not face-first in cheesy noodles, I salute you. This buffalo chicken mac and cheese has seriously become one of my go-tos — especially when I’m craving something spicy, creamy, and 100% unapologetically messy.

Try it, tweak it, add extra cheese or go wild with toppings. I’d love to hear what you did (or see your glorious mess of a pan). Leave a comment or tag me in your cheese disaster masterpieces.

Anyway, I hope this one brings as much cheese-filled joy to your table as it does to mine.