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.
Buffalo chicken wraps are another one of our favorite buffalo chicken recipes and a wonderful way to use up leftover chicken.
Why you’ll love this Buffalo Ranch Chicken Pasta
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.
Buffalo Chicken Pasta ingredients
- Chicken – Use any kind of cooked chicken you have on hand like rotisserie chicken, cooked chicken breasts, 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.
Buffalo Pasta 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 make Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Scroll to the bottom for full, printable recipe, ingredients and video.
- Pasta: Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain off water once finished cooking.
- 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.
- 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.
How to store Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake
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.
What to serve with this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Recipe
A few favorite side dishes to serve with this pasta dish are:
- Garlic bread
- Fresh salad
- Cucumber salad
- Celery and carrots
Buffalo Chicken Pasta Recipe FAQ
The term “buffalo” came from where the sauce was created, Buffalo New York.
Buffalo chicken is typically spicy. The heat can vary depending on the sauce and spices used.
More easy pasta recipes
- Baked mostaccioli – Cheesy pasta bake with crumbled Italian sausage.
- Baked ravioli – Ravioli baked with sauce and cheese.
- Fiesta chicken casserole – Pasta baked with chicken, cheese, black beans, corn, and more.
- Green pasta sauce – Delicious and nutritious sauce made with spinach.
- Pork noodle casserole – Egg noodles, veggies, and pork.
Let me know if you made this chicken casserole below.
Buffalo Chicken Pasta Recipe
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.
Gina
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!
Sonia liaqat
I’m going to bookmark this now to try to whip up for dinner next week.
Maria Gonzalez
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
bigg boss 14
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Jessica Formicola
You had me at buffalo chicken! I will definitely be making this pasta for dinner tonight!
Fwinnie
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! 😋
heather
Thank you so glad you liked it!
Swathi
This is delicious Buffalo. chicken pasta looks delicious I need to try it.
Catalina
This pasta looks so cheesy and irresistible! A must try for sure!
Orlie
This looks amazing! I love everything buffalo chicken related. I can’t wait to try this!
Terri A Steffes
This looks so good. I want to make it now. I think it would be a great supper!
Allyson Zea
We make this all the time and it’s super delicious! Thanks for the easy recipe!
Brandy Ellen Writes
I must try this! I love bufflao chicken flavored stuff, and this cheesy pasta recipe looks so flavorful. I’m going to bookmark this now to try to whip up for dinner next week.
Beth
I’m excited to make a vegetarian version of this. It looks delicious!
Tasheena
This looks so yummy. Looking forward to to making this for my family.
Pam Wattenbarger
Oh my goodness. I have all of these ingredients on hand and I am trying this tomorrow. It looks so good!
Amber Myers
Oh yes please. We love pasta here, so I am excited to try this out. It looks heavenly.
Brianne
Holy moly! That looks so good. I love all that cheese and that buffalo flavor. I have to make this for the family. They’re going to love it.
Sarah Bailey
Oh yes please! This sounds like it would be right up my street, I have to admit I do love a good pasta dish and this sounds like one I would really enjoy,