Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake

4.96 from 25 votes
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Buffalo chicken pasta is a creamy, flavorful and easy meal. Full of chicken, pasta, cheese, and buffalo sauce, this is a casserole dinner that’s sure to be a big hit. Be sure to check out these tips and tricks for making the best buffalo chicken pasta recipe.

Buffalo chicken wraps are another one of our favorite buffalo chicken recipes and a wonderful way to use up leftover chicken.

Chicken pasta bake with serving spoon


 

Why you’ll love this recipe

This buffalo chicken pasta casserole is a quick and easy comfort food meal. A great mix of chicken, cheese, pasta, and buffalo sauce that will leave you feeling satisfied. Sure to become a family favorite meal.

Ingredients needed

  • Chicken – Use any kind of cooked chicken you have on hand like rotisserie chicken, cooked chicken breasts, crockpot buffalo chicken, or even canned chicken.
  • Buffalo sauce – I like using Frank’s buffalo wing sauce or this easy homemade buffalo sauce.
  • Pasta – Choose your favorite pasta. I like using rigatoni, mostaccioli, penne pasta, ziti, or rotini.
  • Cheese – I used a mixture a of mozzarella cheese and colby jack cheese.
  • Cream cheese – Be sure to soften the cream cheese to make it easier to mix.
  • Ranch dressing – This adds creaminess and flavor to the dish. You can also replace ranch with blue cheese dressing.
  • Garlic powder – Adds extra flavor. Feel free to omit if you don’t like garlic.
  • Optional – Diced green onions and or blue cheese crumbles for garnish.

How to make Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Scroll to the bottom for full, printable recipe, ingredients and video. 

  1. Pasta: Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain off water once finished cooking.
  2. Mix: In a large bowl, stir together cream cheese, buffalo sauce, garlic powder, and ranch dressing until combined. Stir in shredded chicken and half of the cheese. Stir in cooked pasta.
  3. Bake: Spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mixture into the dish and top with extra cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F. for approximately 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Bowl of chicken, pasta, buffalo sauce, ranch and cheese.

Tips and Variations

  • Let the cream cheese soften at room temperature before mixing with other ingredients. If limited on time, place the cream cheese in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to help soften.
  • Try adding a few vegetables for added texture. Saute 1 cup of diced celery and 1/4 cup diced onion for 4-5 minutes and add to the pasta mixture before baking,
  • I recommend shredding your own cheese. It melts really well and is so much more creamy. Pre-shredded cheese works well too but there is something so delicious about freshly shredded cheese.
  • Don’t have buffalo sauce, make your own or substitute with Frank’s Red Hot sauce.

How to store

Store: Be sure that the buffalo chicken pasta bake has completely cooled. Cover with foil and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can store leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

How to freeze buffalo chicken pasta bake

Freeze after baking: Make sure the casserole is completely cooled. Place in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until warmed through.

Freeze before baking: You can also freeze before baking. Assemble the casserole and then place in a freezer safe casserole dish. Cover tightly with foil and place in the freezer.

Buffalo chicken pasta bake on a plate with celery in a bowl

What to serve with this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Recipe

A few favorite side dishes to serve with this pasta dish are:

FAQ’s

Is buffalo chicken hot or spicy?

Buffalo chicken is typically spicy. The heat can vary depending on the sauce and spices used.

More easy pasta recipes

Let me know if you made this chicken casserole below.

Spatula holding cheesy pasta casserole.
4.96 from 25 votes

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Recipe

By Heather
Creamy, flavorful buffalo chicken pasta.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 

  • 16 oz uncooked rigatoni pasta
  • 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup buffalo sauce (I use Frank's Buffalo sauce or homemade.)
  • 1/2 cup ranch salad dressing (You can substitute with blue cheese dressing.)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups colby jack cheese

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Cook pasta according to box directions. Drain water once finished cooking.
  • In a large bowl, stir together softened cream cheese, buffalo sauce, ranch dressing and garlic powder. Stir in cooked chicken and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup colby jack cheese. Stir in cooked pasta.
  • Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour pasta mixture in baking dish. Top with remaining shredded cheese.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese melts.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 1183mg | Potassium: 74mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 566IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 414mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
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Recipe Rating




22 Comments

  1. 4 stars
    I made this for dinner tonight and it was really good! Basically like a buffalo chicken dip with pasta instead of tortilla chips. I just wish it was a bit saucier. If I make again, I think I’ll increase the buffalo sauce and ranch to a full cup each. Thanks for the easy yummy recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    I made the chicken buffalo pasta and it was delicious everybody loved it thank u so much for this amazingly delicious pasta and it’s very easy to make

  3. 5 stars
    If you are going for best contents like I do, simply go to see this website all the time as it provides feature contents, thanks

    1. 5 stars
      This was soooo delicious! I have eaten on it for 3 days lol. It’s so easy. I also made your homemade buffalo sauce, which was very good as well. Came together awesomely. Thank you for posting both recipes. It took me a while to find you again to give my 5 star rating for you, but I wanted you to know how great each was! 😋