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    Home » Savory

    Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

    May 26, 2023 By Sam 254 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
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    collage of buffalo chicken mac and cheese, top image of full bowl baked with serving spoon, bottom image of mac and cheese served on white plate with fork

    My creamy buffalo chicken mac and cheese is topped off with a buttery toasted panko for next-level flavor. It’s quick to make in just over 30 minutes! Recipe includes a how-to video!

    Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese on a plate

    The Best Buffalo Mac and Cheese

    Today’s buffalo chicken mac and cheese recipe started out as a just-for-fun experiment (so many of my recipes do!) but after taste testing I didn’t have a choice — I had to share it with you! With its irresistibly creamy texture and buffalo chicken dip-esque flavor, this one was just too good to keep to myself.

    This recipe has everything you love about baked mac & cheese, plus an extra kick of flavor from the buffalo sauce. It’s cheesy, creamy, a little spicy, and so hearty with plenty of shredded chicken.

    I top mine off with a buttery, crispy crown of toasted panko for some extra texture and flavor, and it’s truly the best mac and cheese I’ve had (my bacon mac and cheese is a close second though!). I just know you’re going to love it too!

    What You Need

    Overhead view of ingredients including buffalo sauce, shredded chicken, macaroni noodles, and more.

    There are quite a lot of ingredients up there, so let’s go over some of the most important ones:

    • Buffalo sauce. Make sure you’re using prepared buffalo sauce and not straight hot sauce (which would add more heat than intended).
    • Pasta. You can use macaroni (a classic choice! I use this in my easy mac and cheese), but cavatappi/cellentani is a bit more fun.
    • Cheese. Grab some mozzarella and cheddar blocks and shred them yourself–this is critical for the smoothest sauce and best melting. Pre-shredded cheeses may be more convenient, but they contain anti-caking agents that prevent them from melting smoothly.
    • Sour cream + cream cheese. To make this buffalo mac and cheese extra creamy, we’ll go beyond your standard shredded cheeses and use cream cheese and sour cream too. These two ingredients are possibly the most critical in developing such a creamy and richly flavored dish!
    • Chicken. Any cooked, shredded chicken will work. I like to use a rotisserie chicken or my slow cooker shredded chicken.
    • Panko. We toast this panko in butter on the stovetop for wonderful, buttery flavor. Sometimes, instead of using panko I make breadcrumbs out of my sourdough bread and use those, instead!

    SAM’S TIP: Since this dish is so creamy and rich, it makes a great party/potluck dish. It’s the kind of comfort food that you pile on your plate at a party, then find yourself going back for seconds…and thirds!

    Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

    How to Make Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

    Mac and Cheese

    Buffalo mac and cheese in sauce pot
    1. Cook your pasta to al dente according to package directions, then drain and keep warm.
    2. Melt the butter and stir in the flour until smooth.
    3. Stir in the spices and milk, then bring the mixture to a boil.
    4. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir frequently until thickened. Once thickened, stir in the cheeses and sour cream until smooth.
    5. Stir in the hot sauce, then add the chicken and pasta.
    6. Pour into a buttered baking dish and prepare the panko topping.

    Panko Topping

    Panko topping in sauce pan
    1. Melt the butter and olive oil together over medium heat, then add the panko.
    2. Stir and toast the panko until it absorbs the butter and oil and begins to turn a light golden brown.
    3. Sprinkle the panko over your prepared mac and cheese.
    4. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes, then enjoy!

    SAM’S TIP: Fresh chopped parsley makes a pretty, fresh garnish on this mac and cheese. This is optional, but I do like to add it if I have some on hand.

    Buffalo chicken mac and cheese in a bowl

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I make it ahead?

    Yes! If you’d like to make the recipe up until the baking step, you can cover it and refrigerate until ready to bake. When you’re ready, simply remove your covering and bake until warmed through.

    How spicy is it?

    My buffalo mac and cheese carries some heat, but it’s not overwhelmingly hot (though you heat-seekers out there can feel free to up the ante with a few extra tablespoons of buffalo sauce). The heat is nicely tempered by the cheeses, so I find the spice level to be mild or about as hot as a buffalo chicken dip would be.

    Can I double this recipe?

    Yes! This buffalo mac and cheese doubles nicely, especially for parties. You’ll want to bake it in a 9×13 if you do. Keep in mind the bake time might be a bit longer in a bigger pan.

    Buffalo chicken mac and cheese in a bowl

    Let me know in the comments if you’d like to see more spruced up mac and cheese recipes!

    Enjoy!

    Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook

    plate full of creamy buffalo chicken mac and cheese

    Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

    My creamy buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese is topped off with a buttery toasted panko for next-level flavor. It's quick to make in just over 30 minutes!
    Recipe includes a how-to video!
    4.78 from 157 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 458kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 8 oz dry macaroni noodles (I used Cellentani noodles) (230g)
    • 3 Tablespoons butter (42g)
    • 3 Tablespoons flour (24g)
    • 2 cups milk (475ml)
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon ground mustard
    • 4 oz cream cheese (115g)
    • 1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese , I use low-moisture part skim (170g)
    • 1 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese (115g)
    • ⅓ cup sour cream (80g)
    • ½ cup buffalo hot sauce (120ml)
    • 1 ½ cups shredded chicken (200g)

    For Panko Topping:

    • 1 Tablespoon butter (14g)
    • ½ Tablespoon olive oil
    • ½ cup seasoned panko crumbs (30g)

    Recommended Equipment

    • Large pot
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and lightly grease a 1.5qt round baking dish or 9×9 square baking dish with butter.
    • Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions.
      8 oz dry macaroni noodles (I used Cellentani noodles)
    • Meanwhile, melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once it has melted, add flour and stir until smooth.
      3 Tablespoons butter, 3 Tablespoons flour
    • Add milk and spices, stir well and bring to a boil.
      2 cups milk, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon ground mustard
    • Once mixture begins to boil, reduce heat, bring to a simmer, and stir frequently until it is slightly thickened.
    • Reduce heat to low and add cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, and sour cream. Stir until cheeses are melted and mixture is smooth.
      4 oz cream cheese, 1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese, ⅓ cup sour cream
    • Add hot sauce and stir.
      ½ cup buffalo hot sauce
    • Add shredded chicken and cooked, drained pasta noodles and stir until well coated by the sauce.
      1 ½ cups shredded chicken
    • Pour into prepared baking dish and prepare your Panko topping.

    Panko Topping

    • Combine butter and olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat, stirring occasionally, until melted.
      1 Tablespoon butter, ½ Tablespoon olive oil
    • Add panko and stir well until the butter and oil has been mostly absorbed. Continue to stir until panko is lightly toasted and turns a light-medium brown color
      ½ cup seasoned panko crumbs
    • Use a spoon to sprinkle over prepared buffalo chicken mac and cheese
    • Transfer to oven and bake on 350F (175C) for 15 minutes.
    • Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 1003mg | Potassium: 274mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 818IU | Calcium: 318mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

    Recipe originally published August 2017. Recipe remains the same but text has been updated to be more helpful.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Shelby

      November 12, 2023 at 3:06 pm

      5 stars
      Could this be frozen?

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 12, 2023 at 10:05 pm

        Sure thing! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Tom

      October 12, 2023 at 6:17 pm

      Have made many times. Very good. Wondering if anyone has made without the hot sauce. Looking to make one buffalo and one without.

      Reply
    3. Sherry

      August 28, 2023 at 2:30 am

      Could you cook this in a crokpot, rather than the oven?

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 29, 2023 at 8:58 am

        Hi Sherry! You could keep it warm in a crockpot afterwards, but it probably won’t cook well in the crock pot.

        Reply
    4. Beth

      February 09, 2023 at 11:37 am

      Question. Did you use buffalo sauce (premade like Franks Buffalo Sauce) or actual hot sauce (like Frank’s Red Hot). Making for the Super Bowl and want to ensure I have the right ingredients. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Sam

        February 09, 2023 at 8:28 pm

        Hi Beth! It was a premade buffalo sauce, not Franks Red hot. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Tracy

      January 29, 2023 at 5:26 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious …. The hubs loved it and he’s a tough one to please

      Reply
    6. Nicki

      November 29, 2022 at 7:45 pm

      Best Mac n Cheese ever! Frank’s hot always makes for a good addition to any recipe!!!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        November 30, 2022 at 8:12 am

        We’re so happy you like it, Nicki! ❤️

        Reply
        • Kelly

          February 02, 2023 at 8:27 pm

          5 stars
          This is so good! It’s my son’s favorite and a regular in my dinner rotation. I’ve recently started to cut back on my carbs so i substituted the noodles for cauliflower and it was still delicious! I just cut up a head of cauliflower into semi small florets and boiled for 3-5 min until just soft and drained immediately.

        • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

          February 03, 2023 at 8:45 am

          Sounds delicious, Kelly! Thanks for letting us know how that substitute worked for you 😊

    7. Rachel

      November 27, 2022 at 3:13 pm

      5 stars
      I have made this so many times. It is SO GOOOOOD. Only Mac recipe you’ll ever need.

      Reply
    8. Luke

      November 09, 2022 at 12:11 am

      Could I prepare this and refrigerate it to bake the next day? And if so how much would I need to increase the bake time?

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        November 09, 2022 at 8:10 am

        Hi Luke! That should be fine; just make sure to cover it well in the fridge and bake until it’s warm and melty. Enjoy!

        Reply
    9. Mark

      October 17, 2022 at 7:37 pm

      5 stars
      I have made this a few times now and every time I’m blown away by how good it is. Absolute favorite for me

      Reply
    10. Joann

      August 17, 2022 at 1:38 pm

      Planning to make this for our daughters. However, it says it could feed 8 people? I’m assuming very small portions?

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        August 18, 2022 at 9:56 am

        Hi Joann! Dividing the 1.5 quart casserole dish into 8 servings means each serving is about 3/4 of a cup. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    11. TJennings

      July 18, 2022 at 9:18 am

      Can this be doubled in a 9 x 13 pan? Time adjustments? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 18, 2022 at 10:03 am

        That will work just fine. It may just need a few minutes longer in the oven. The bake time isn’t an exact science here because you are really just making sure everything is warmed up and melted together. 🙂

        Reply
    12. Kyla

      April 14, 2022 at 10:24 pm

      5 stars
      I use this recipe for both the buffalo versions and just regular and I love it all! My in laws ate seconds when I made it for them. Great recipe!

      In a pinch I substituted the panko for crushed up croutons and have stuck with it since!

      Reply
      • Shayla

        July 14, 2022 at 6:39 pm

        5 stars
        Amazing! So delicious. Will definitely give you a stomach ache if you go for a second helping but seriously worth it!

        Reply
        • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

          July 15, 2022 at 9:34 am

          Thanks for letting us know how it went for you, Shayla! Enjoy 🙂

    13. Amanda

      April 06, 2022 at 8:57 pm

      5 stars
      This turned out so delicious. I didn’t have any sour cream, but it was absolute perfection without it! 10/10 recommence

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        April 07, 2022 at 11:37 am

        Thanks for your review, Amanda! We’re happy it still turned out for you 😊

        Reply
    14. Sarah

      April 03, 2022 at 8:31 pm

      I also love the tangy zest of Buffalo Sauce, but more often than not, even mild is too hot for me to handle. However, I discovered Texas Pete’s Extra Mild Buffalo Sauce at the grocery store. Perfect for wings, perfect for this Buffalo Mac & Cheese recipe! Now if I have a hankering for wings, I don’t bother ordering out, I make them at home because I know the flavor and heat will be perfectly balanced. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Stacy K Desens

        May 11, 2023 at 11:52 am

        I haven’t tried the recipe yet but this sounds really good. Trying it tonight. I just also wanted to say how much I like that you put the amount for each ingredient in your instructions. Then you don’t have to go back to the list of ingredients everytime you need to add an ingredient. That’s a great idea. Will let you know how it turns out.
        Thank you
        Stacy

        Reply
        • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

          May 11, 2023 at 11:55 am

          We’re so happy it’s helpful, Stacy! Hope you love the mac and cheese 🥰

    15. Jamie

      February 21, 2022 at 6:08 pm

      5 stars
      YUM.

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        February 22, 2022 at 9:04 am

        Sounds like our mac and cheese was a real hit for you, Jamie! Thanks for coming back to leave a review 😊

        Reply
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    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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