Description
A quick, 30-minute weeknight dinner that combines tender pasta, shredded rotisserie chicken, and a creamy buffalo sauce, topped with melted cheddar and tangy blue cheese crumbles.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (about 300g)
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1 cup buffalo sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot Original)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup blue cheese dressing
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 stalks green onions, sliced
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (such as Gorgonzola or Roquefort)
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (optional)
- Salted water for boiling pasta
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in buffalo sauce and heavy cream. Stir well and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to coat. Add the shredded chicken and half of the blue cheese dressing. Stir gently. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water.
- Pour the pasta mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the top. If using, toss breadcrumbs with melted butter and sprinkle over the cheese.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Optionally broil for the last 2 minutes for extra browning.
- Remove from oven. Immediately crumble the blue cheese over the top and garnish with sliced green onions.
- Serve warm.
Notes
Do not rinse the pasta after draining; the starch helps the sauce cling. Use real butter for better emulsification. If the sauce is too spicy, add more cream or a dollop of sour cream. For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream and reduce the cheddar. This dish does not freeze well due to the dairy content.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 1200
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 52
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 32
Keywords: buffalo chicken pasta, weeknight dinner, easy pasta bake, blue cheese crumble, rotisserie chicken recipes, comfort food, spicy pasta