Buffalo Chicken Pasta
This buffalo chicken pasta recipe is a fun twist on your favorite wings and a great way to use up leftover cooked/rotisserie chicken!
Servings: 6 see note
Ingredients
- 12 ounces uncooked pasta
- 2 cups cooked chicken
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 8 ounces cream cheese (a block of Philly) softened
- 3 tablespoons Frank's Red Hot Original Sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning (I used Hidden Valley)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Chopped scallions (optional, to taste)
Instructions
- Take the cream cheese out of the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to starting the recipe. It should be really soft. You can also microwave it for 30 seconds or so to soften it up.
- Boil a salted pot of water for your pasta. Cook it al dente according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, prep everything while waiting for the water to boil. I start the sauce once the pasta is cooking.
- Add the butter, cream cheese, Frank's Red Hot, chicken broth, and ranch seasoning to a skillet over medium heat. Once the butter melts and it heats up a bit, stir until the cream cheese has been totally incorporated into the sauce (this will take a few minutes). Let it cook for another minute or two to thicken it up a bit.
- Stir the cheddar in, and then add in the chicken. Let it warm through (but don't let it cook too much). Season with salt & pepper as needed. If you feel the sauce needs a little more moisture, add a splash of the pasta water prior to draining it. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss. Serve immediately with scallions sprinkled over top.
Notes
- Serves 4-6 with the recommended 12 ounces of pasta. Drop it down to 8 ounces if you want more sauce for 4 people.
- If you're sensitive to salt, use low-sodium chicken broth.
- Feel free to add blue cheese crumbles to the sauce! I didn't include them for this recipe, but it would be a great addition if you love blue cheese. I'd stir it in at the same time as the cheddar.
- You can use a couple tablespoons of ranch dressing if you can't find ranch seasoning.
- This recipe isn't super spicy, but it does have some kick to it.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 782mg | Potassium: 320mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 774IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 190mg | Iron: 2mg