Buffalo Chicken Pasta made all in one skillet for an easy and delicious pasta recipe the whole family will love!

Buffalo Chicken Pasta is an easy pasta recipe, inspired by my Buffalo Ranch Chicken Dip. A cheesy pasta recipe ready in under 30 minutes that satisfies your family's cravings with the classic flavor combination of buffalo chicken and ranch dressing. Make it tonight!

WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE IN BUFFALO CHICKEN PASTA?

• 4 cups water
• 1/4 cup Buffalo wing sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt
• 1 lb dry ziti or penne pasta, uncooked
• 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
• 1 cup ranch dressing
• 3/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite sized pieces.
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Garnish with fresh chives and Gorgonzola or Blue cheese for added zing

HOW DO YOU MAKE BUFFALO CHICKEN PASTA?

1. Preheat oven to broil.
2. In a large (at least 12"), oven safe skillet combine 1 lb pasta, 4 cups water, 1/4 cup buffalo sauce, and 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring often for 12-15 minutes until pasta is al dente. Most of the water will be absorbed.

3. Reduce heat to low and add in 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup ranch dressing, and 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Stir to melt cheese and combine ingredients.

4. Add in 2 cups cooked chicken and top with 3/4 cup shredded cheddar.
5. Place skillet under broiler until cheese is melted. TIP: When broiling, keep oven door ajar and watch closely as it can burn easily.

6. Remove from oven and garnish with fresh chive and crumbled Gorgonzola or Blue cheese if desired.

WHAT IS BUFFALO SAUCE?

Buffalo Sauce is a vinegar-based cayenne pepper hot sauce and melted butter combined to make a spicy rich sauce perfect for buffalo wings.

You can purchase buffalo sauce in your grocery store. I use Frank's Buffalo Wings Sauce in this Buffalo Chicken Pasta recipe for the most part.

Alternatively, if I don't have the Buffalo Wings Sauce on hand, I use equal parts Frank's RedHot Original Sauce and melted butter like I do for my Baked Buffalo Chicken Thighs and my Low Carb Buffalo Wings.

WHAT BRAND OF RANCH DRESSING IS BEST FOR THIS RECIPE?

I recommend using YOUR favorite ranch dressing in this Buffalo Chicken Pasta. You can make a homemade ranch dressing or store bought.

I will sometimes make my own ranch dressing like the homemade dairy free ranch dressing I use for my Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bites, but if I'm running short on time, my favorite store bought ranch dressing is from Trader Joe's.

WHAT TYPE OF CHICKEN IS BEST TO USE IN THIS BUFFALO CHICKEN PASTA RECIPE?

I make Roasted Chicken Breasts to use in this recipe, however deli rotisserie chicken is great too. As a last resort, you could even use canned chicken in this Buffalo Chicken Pasta recipe, but be warned, it doesn't add much flavor to the recipe.

WHAT TYPE OF PASTA SHOULD I USE?

Ziti or penne pasta make a great pasta choice for this Buffalo Chicken Pasta recipe as it is a cheesy pasta recipe that needs a hearty pasta. However, you can use just about any type of pasta for this recipe.

WHY DO YOU MAKE PASTA IN A SKILLET?

I love making pasta in a skillet. It uses less water and takes a little less time than making pasta the traditional way. Plus it makes clean up a breeze being able to make the pasta in the same skillet as the rest of the recipe.

Traditionally, we make pasta by boiling a big pot of water. We add salt and pasta to the water and boil until al dente and then drain out the water.

Making pasta in a skillet can be done with less water, is easier to make, and actually makes for a richer, silkier sauce because a small amount of the starchy water stays behind to mix with the other ingredients in the Buffalo Chicken Pasta recipe. That starchy pasta water adds flavor and a wonderful texture to the cheesy sauce.

Additionally, starting with cold water instead of boiling water makes pasta that is less sticky. I love making pasta in a skillet for a quick dinner. For instance, if I plan to make a quick spaghetti dinner, I will make the pasta in the skillet and pour over my favorite red sauce, mix it up, serve and enjoy! Give it a try when you make this Buffalo Chicken Pasta and let me know what you think about making pasta in a skillet.

WHAT COOKING TOOLS DO I NEED TO MAKE BUFFALO CHICKEN PASTA?

Most home cooks will already have many of the tools needed to make this recipe, but for your convenience I've listed the tools I use when making Buffalo Chicken Pasta all in one skillet. Just click on the item name and find the product I use on Amazon.

Disclosure: Life Tastes Good is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. Please note: The following links are affiliate links to products I use and love.

• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• 1 quart measuring cup
• 12" Skillet
• Oven mitts
• Mixing spoon

****PIN BUFFALO CHICKEN PASTA to save for later****

Thank you for visiting! Let's be social! Follow Life Tastes Good on Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Life Tastes Good just like it should with FREE recipes delivered to your inbox
Click here to subscribe

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Main

American

Yield: 6Author: Life Tastes Good

Buffalo Chicken Pasta All In One Skillet

Buffalo Chicken Pasta made all in one skillet for an easy and delicious pasta recipe the whole family will love!

prep time: 5 minscook time: 20 minstotal time: 25 mins

ingredients:

• 4 cups water
• 1/4 cup Buffalo wing sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt
• 1 lb dry ziti or penne pasta, uncooked
• 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
• 1 cup ranch dressing
• 3/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite sized pieces.
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Garnish with fresh chives and Gorgonzola or Blue cheese for added zing

instructions

1. Preheat oven to broil.
2. In a large (at least 12"), oven safe skillet combine 1 lb pasta, 4 cups water, 1/4 cup buffalo sauce, and 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring often for 12-15 minutes until pasta is al dente. Most of the water will be absorbed.
3. Reduce heat to low and add in 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup ranch dressing, and 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Stir to melt cheese and combine ingredients.
4. Add in 2 cups cooked chicken and top with 3/4 cup shredded cheddar.
5. Place skillet under broiler until cheese is melted. TIP: When broiling, keep oven door ajar and watch closely as it can burn easily.
6. Remove from oven and garnish with fresh chives and crumbled Gorgonzola or Blue cheese if desired.

calories
499

fat (grams)
21.8

sat. fat (grams)
12.3

carbs (grams)
44.9

protein (grams)
30

sugar (grams)
1.2

https://www.ourlifetastesgood.com/2019/02/buffalo-chicken-pasta.html

COPYRIGHT © 2018 Life Tastes Good

Created using The Recipes Generator

Nutrition label disclaimer: Nutrient values are estimates only. Variations may occur due to product availability and food preparation. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.