This Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake is a tasty and simple casserole that can be ready in just 30 minutes. Combining buffalo chicken dip and cheesy pasta in one pan creates a meal that everyone will devour in minutes.
This buffalo chicken calzone is another easy and quick buffalo chicken recipe that everyone enjoys, too.
Jump to:
Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Our family loves anything with buffalo chicken in it. The kids always request this easy buffalo chicken dip for movie and game nights. So, I combined our favorite dip with a cheesy pasta bake for a quick and easy dinner.
Adding pasta noodles to cream cheese, hot sauce, and melted cheese makes this the best buffalo chicken casserole ever! The dish has all the flavors of buffalo chicken dip, but it's much heartier!
Keeping pasta, chicken, and cheese on hand at all times makes assembling a quick 30-minute meal easy. We always keep extra chicken in the freezer for chicken Alfredo gnocchi, cheesy chicken pasta, or buffalo chicken pasta.
Why This Recipe Works
This casserole is so easy to put together on busy nights. You can also prep it the night before and pop it in the oven when you get home from work.
The top layer of melted cheese will have everyone wanting to dive in as soon as the timer goes off. Give it a few minutes, add some toppings, and then go to town on the spicy chicken goodness!
Ingredients Needed
Enjoy all the flavors you love about buffalo chicken wings in a creamy, cheesy buffalo chicken casserole. This easy pasta bake recipe requires just a few simple ingredients.
- Chicken - You can use a rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken breasts, chopped grilled chicken, or canned chicken. We have used every kind of chicken in this buffalo chicken recipe, and it tastes amazing no matter what you use.
- Cream Cheese - Makes the pasta creamy and delicious.
- Shredded Cheese - A mixture of shredded mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese bakes up nice and gooey.
- Hot Sauce - We love using Frank's Red Hot sauce to give the buffalo pasta a hot and spicy flavor. Feel free to reduce the amount or use a wing sauce instead to make it milder.
- Ranch Dressing or Blue Cheese Dressing - Either one will taste great. It all depends on which dressing you prefer with your buffalo chicken wings. Our family prefers ranch dressing, so we make buffalo ranch chicken.
- Pasta - For this easy casserole, use your favorite pasta noodles. We prefer penne noodles because they hold the sauce better. Bow-tie noodles would be awesome in this buffalo chicken pasta, too. Cook and drain the noodles before stirring them into the spicy mixture.
- Optional Toppings - Green onions and blue cheese crumbles are great toppings for buffalo pasta.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Pasta
This easy buffalo chicken pasta recipe can be made in minutes. It is a great meal to have on the dinner table in under 30 minutes.
Be careful! This easy buffalo chicken casserole has a thick layer of gooey cheese on top. Everyone will be fighting for the first cheesy scoop!
- Stir the cream cheese, ranch, and hot sauce in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
- Add the shredded cooked chicken, cooked noodles, and some of the mozzarella cheese, then stir gently.
- Spoon the buffalo chicken mixture into a greased baking dish and top with the rest of the shredded cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until hot and the cheese on top melts and begins to brown.
- Drizzle the hot buffalo chicken casserole with ranch dressing and hot sauce, then top with green onions and blue cheese crumbles.
BRUCREW TIP: Make this a low-carb buffalo chicken recipe by substituting cooked cauliflower for the noodles. It's a healthy chicken recipe just like that.
Storage Recommendations
Leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat single servings in the microwave.
Tips and Tricks
- Drizzle the cooked pasta noodles with olive oil to keep them from drying out and sticking together.
- Are you looking for buffalo pasta with a milder, buttery flavor? Use buffalo sauce instead of Frank's hot sauce.
- Shred block cheese instead of buying bags of pre-shredded cheese. Bagged cheese has a powder added to it to keep it from sticking and clumping together. Freshly shredded cheese tastes better and melts creamier.
- Blue cheese has a stronger flavor that some people do not enjoy. For those who love that flavor, serve blue cheese dressing and crumbles on the side.
Make it a Full Meal
This buffalo chicken casserole is a complete meal on its own. However, having extra sides and desserts always makes dinner better. Here are a few recipes we love with it.
FAQs
The pasta casserole can be made up to one day ahead of time. Mix everything together, then cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate it.
Remove the casserole dish from the fridge 30 minutes before baking. Bake until hot and bubbly.
You sure can. Substitute cooked cauliflower for the pasta noodles and enjoy.
It can. Use a crock pot to cook raw chicken breasts instead of using cooked chicken.
Add the chicken breasts and hot sauce to the hot sauce. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Shredded the chicken in the juices.
Stir in the cream cheese, ranch dressing, and cheese, then let it cook for 15 minutes.
Add the cooked pasta and top with more cheese right before serving.
More Buffalo Chicken Recipes
- Buffalo Chicken Nachos
- Buffalo Chicken Totchos
- Buffalo Chicken Wrap
- Buffalo Wing Chips
- Buffalo Chicken Slider
- Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Pizza
Do you love a recipe you tried from Inside BruCrew Life?
Please leave a 5-star ⭐️ rating and a review in the comments section below.
Recipe
Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake
Combining buffalo chicken, cheese, and pasta in one casserole creates a meal that everyone will love. This Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake is delicious and can be on the table in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (8 ounces) uncooked, penne pasta (or substitute cooked cauliflower)
- 1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup ranch dressing
- ⅓ cup hot sauce
- 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken (or 1 - 12.5 ounce can chunk chicken breast)
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- Cook the pasta noodles, according to the package directions. Drain and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil to keep them from sticking.
- Stir together the cream cheese, ranch, and hot sauce until creamy.
- Add the chicken, ½ cup mozzarella cheese, and cooked pasta noodles to the cream cheese mixture and stir to combine. Spoon into the prepared dish.
- Combine the remaining two cheeses and sprinkle over the top of the pasta. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese on top is melted.
- Remove and serve immediately with green onions, hot sauce, and ranch drizzles. Serves 6.
Notes
- If you are using canned chicken, drain and break it apart with a fork before using.
- To keep the cooked pasta noodles from drying out and sticking together, drizzle them with olive oil.
- Are you looking for buffalo chicken pasta that has a milder, buttery flavor? Use buffalo sauce instead of Frank's hot sauce.
- Shred block cheese instead of buying bags of pre-shredded cheese. Bagged cheese has a powder added to it to keep it from sticking and clumping together. Freshly shredded cheese tastes better and melts creamier.
- Blue cheese has a stronger flavor that some people do not enjoy. Serve blue cheese dressing and blue cheese crumbles on the side as an option for anyone who loves that flavor.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 416Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 858mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 21g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*This post was first published in October 2016. The post has been updated and republished in July 2021.
Edie Camplin
A question I really do not like ranch dressing is there something else I can use in place of it
Jocelyn
Quite a few people have mentioned that they like blue cheese dressing instead of the ranch in this. I haven't tried it that way because I don't care for the blue cheese taste.
Ellen
We loved this. I used gluten free pasta. I parboiled some cauliflower heads and ground up and added for a secret vegetable!
We served with fresh celery sticks! A big hit!
Anja Michaelis
Made it tonight and absolutely loved it! Used gruyere and Italian cheese as well as blue cheese instead of ranch since we had the stuff in our fridge already!
Absolutely love it and can’t get enough
Nia
I tried this last night and it turned out perfectly! The girls loved it. Thanks! I used canned chicken- quick and easy.
Tracy K
Love this! It has become a regular dish in our home, thank you for the recipe! I do wonder, has anyone ever tried freezing this? If so, how long does it keep and how long and at what temp do you bake it at?
Erin
Can I use something other than hot sauce? Or just leave it out? I'm trying new things for my sister and she can't eat any spicy like hot sauce
Jocelyn
The only thing I can think of to substitute would be barbecue sauce, but that is going to change this completely.
Lizzie
Would adding red/green peppers or onions work inside of the pasta? My family isn’t the type to like plain old chicken, cheese, and noodles in a pan so I’m hoping to add something else. Spinach and broccoli are out due to allergies in the family
Jocelyn
Hi, Lizzie. I usually serve a salad along with this pasta when I make it for dinner. But yes, adding onions and colored peppers would be a great addition as well. I hope your family enjoys it as much as we do.
Nicole
I make this for just two people and I double it because it is so delicious. We will eat on it for days without a complaint! It is definitely a go to in my house! Thanks for sharing!
Amanda
I have made this recipe many times its a family favorite. I also use it for pot lucks and its always a favorite. I use baby rays buffalo sauce and canned chicken and I also found that it mixes better if you use a blender for the cream cheese, buffalo sauce, and ranch.
Destiny
Is the 8in pan the only one we can use?
Jocelyn
For these measurements, yes. If you double the ingredients, you can use a 9x13 pan. I hope that helps!
susan
Buffalo wing sauce works really well as it is not as hot (you can also by mild)
This is a great recipe!
I used boneless/skinless chicken thighs...seasoned and roasted them for 20 min...then shredded...easy peasy!
I also did not have cream cheese 🙁 so I used sour cream and cream of chicken soup...with 1/3 cup of wing sauce. It was still creamy and delish. I also topped the whole thing with panko breadcrumbs mixed w/melted butter. Added a nice crisp texture.
Paula
Okay...let's talk "hot sauce"....the kind of hot sauce used will make a difference in the recipe and since I like to try a new recipe with the original ingredients first before I determine what touches I want to make to the recipe, would you kindly let me know what kind of hot sauce you used? I have everything from Torture Hot Sauce to a simple sauce like Franks. I'm looking forward to trying this recipe and putting my own twist on it.
Jocelyn
We usually use Frank's Red Hot when we make this pasta dinner, but I have also used Sweet Baby Ray's buffalo wing sauce and that was really good. I hope you enjoy the dinner! It's a family favorite here!
Chelsea
Has anyone ever prepared this the night before and put in the the fridge and baked it the next night? Will it still be as good?
Jocelyn
I haven't made it the night before, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. You would probably have to bake it a little longer since it will be cold to start with.
Kim
Has anyone tried making the entire dish in a crock pot instead of baking? Making it for a potluck tomorrow.
Jocelyn
I haven't tried this in a crock pot, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. You just won't get any browning on your cheese, but it should be all cheesy and delicious!
Noelle
Just want to make sure, do I add the cream cheese hot sauce ranch mix to the noodles before I place them in the oven?
Thanks!
Jocelyn
Yes, you are going to stir the chicken, cheese, and noodles in the cream cheese mixture, then put it in the pan to bake. I hope you enjoy it!
Bridget Harrison
If you use canned chicken what brand do you recommend and also how many cans are needed?
Jocelyn
We have used canned chicken before and it tastes great. I usually buy the big 6 pack of canned chicken at Sam's Club and keep them in the cupboard. One can has about 1 1/2 cups of chicken in it.
Blakely Wood
Does anyone know the nutritional information on this dish?
Heather Nason
I'm actually making this for dinner tonight!!
Trish
Making this at the moment. I diced up some bacon first and bought a package of fresh stir fry chicken (boneless, skinless chicken cut in thin strips) and i cubed it off before trying with a bunch of seasonings (I like different spices ☺). I've also increased the buffalo wing sauce to 1/2 cup and the ranch to 1 cup and added some diced jalapenos. Pasta was one 450g bag of fusilli to ensure leftovers for the other half. I can't wait until this comes out of the oven! Thanks for the awesome idea!! ????
cathy Haning
where are thestep by step directions?
Jocelyn
Scroll past the pictures, and there is a recipe card with all the ingredients and instructions.