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.
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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
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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.
Jody G.
Has anyone frozen this successfully? Want to make freezer meal for my daughter who is expecting a baby but didn't see any comments on freezing. Thank you! It is awesome!
Jocelyn
I think it could be frozen successfully. We have frozen other pasta dinners with good luck. I would make the pasta part, place it in a freezer safe pan and let it cool to room temp. Then top with the extra cheese, cover well, and freeze. To make it later, thaw overnight in the fridge, then remove 30 minutes before baking. The end baking time may be a little longer because it will be chilled. I hope that helps and your daughter enjoys the dinner.
Lisa
Cream cheese does not freeze well.
Jocelyn
Cream cheese by itself can be frozen, but when thawed it may be grainy. In a pasta sauce with other ingredients, cream cheese is totally fine to freeze and thaw.
Jade Cloer
This looks awesome! I
Haven't been able to make things like this yet, you know,with all the food shortage and inflation.,but I look forward to making it in the future! 🍗🧀😛
Nikki
Can this be done in a 9×13 if doubled?
Jocelyn
Yes, that would be just fine. I hope you enjoy it.
Alessa
I make this in a 9x 13 and it doesn't need to be doubled
Tamara Jones
This Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake has become a favorite of my family and My daughter’s friends requested I make it for senior night for their senior dinner along with Chicken Alfredo Pasta.
Amy P
Great recipe! I made as-instructed (used Rotisserie chicken and a mix of Franks Buffalo sauce and Buffalo Wild Wings medium sauce). My husband had more than one serving which is a compliment because he is a GREAT cook and I am amateur at best (probably below). This is going in my very short rotation list!
smash karts
What do you think of using Frank’s Buffalo Sauce?
Jocelyn
You can't go wrong using any of Frank's hot sauces. We have used the wing sauce before and loved it.
Eliza V.
I use this recipe all the time and love it. Typically I use Frank's buffalo garlic wing sauce but I also throw in a heavy bit of sriracha since the other eaters don't like the vinegar tang of Buffalo. Always comes out great.
Richard
I make this recipe for my brother and he loves it. He says that it is very good and begs me every day to make it for him. Thank you for sharing!!!
Sean Colby
I love pasta and this recipe hit it out of the park! The rest of the family loved it as well and I'd be willing to bet they will be asking me for this again very soon.
Lindsay
All I can say is.. “Wow!”. Followed this recipe to a tee for the most part. I didn’t use quite as much of franks hot sauce since I don’t like spicy. This recipe was everything we needed and more! We got tired of eating the same recipes and dishes over and over again. So happy I found this recipe! This ones here to stay! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Jocelyn
This makes me so happy! This is why I do what I do. I am so glad you enjoyed it. If it's not too much trouble, could you leave a 5 star review on the recipe card? This helps others know it is a great recipe. Thank you so much!!!
Stephanie
Try bbq sauce instead of hot sauce 🤤
Kristie
Could this be made in a crock pot?
Jocelyn
You could mix all the ingredients in the crock pot and heat until hot, then stir in cooked noodles before serving.
Liz
1/3 cup is too much hot sauce!!!! We are trying it again with a few dashes tonight.
Jocelyn
I'm sorry you felt like it was too much. What brand of hot sauce did you use? We make it all the time using that amount of Frank's Red Hot Sauce and love it. But I realize that everyone has different tastes. I'm glad you are giving it another chance with less of the sauce.
Amy Gutierrez
Use Frank's buffalo sauce. Makes it SO good.
Providence
It's too much hot sauce, for YOU. I personally use half a bottle lol
Jim
Its literally a third of a cup if anything its not enough I always use extra. Imagine having the taste buds of a child. Git gud
Shawna Stone
This was so good and super easy to make!!! I cheated and used a rotisserie chicken.
Sharon Cummins
I have made this many times and it's a family favorite. Some people have commented about using bleu cheese dressing. I use the ranch dressing in the pasta and then I like to top it with crumbled bleu cheese and sliced green onion. Delicious!
Jocelyn
I am so happy your family is enjoying the pasta. It's a favorite here too. Sounds like you make it the way we do with ranch inside and a few bleu crumbles on top.
Hannah Stephens
Do you think this could be made with rice instead? If so how would you incorporate?
Jocelyn
Honestly, I think this would be great with rice too. I just haven't made it this way, so I'm not quite sure how much to tell you. My guess would be to use about 4 cups of COOKED rice. Maybe stir in 3 and see how the consistency is before adding more. Keep me posted on how it turns out for you.
Diane
This is my sons favorite meal! We love anything Buffalo chicken. I also use franks and blue cheese dressing instead of ranch. I add some panko mixed with olive oil and parsley sprinkled on top. So yummy!
Kathy
Can I make this the morning before I cook it for dinner?
Jocelyn
Yes, you can prep this recipe ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to cook it. Make sure to remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes earlier, so it can warm up slightly. It also may need a few extra minutes because of being refrigerated. I hope you enjoy it!
Shianne
What temperature do you recommend baking this dish at?
Jocelyn
You can find the full directions and heating temperature in the recipe card that is at the bottom of the post. I always bake this at 375°. I hope you enjoy the pasta.
Megan Flanagan
Would this recipe be good without cream cheese? I have everything except cream cheese.
Jocelyn
I have never made it without the cream cheese, so I'm not sure how it would be without it. Sour cream might be a good substitute, if you have that.
Neaka
I made this and we loved it. I used a whole chicken I had. I seasoned the chicken and put it in the air fryer and then shredded it up and I used lots of hot sauce and ranch dressing. It was awesome.
Neaka
Made this recipe and it was a hit. But I did add more hot sauce and ranch dressing to make it more creamy and hot. Of course, I had a whole chicken in my freezer so I thawed it out and seasoned it, and cooked it in the air fryer. Loved the recipe.
Tiffany
Instead of using hot sauce, could I use a different sauce to make it more mild? What are your suggestions.
Jocelyn
I would just use less of the hot sauce to make it less spicy. You can also use a wing sauce because that is hot sauce mixed with butter, so it isn't as spicy as a reg hot sauce. I hope that helps and you enjoy the pasta.
Amy
Use Frank's buffalo sauce instead. I use blue cheese dressing too instead of ranch. It's so delicious!
Liz
My cheese on top already melted at 10 min is that normal?
Jocelyn
If your pasta mixture was warm when the cheese was put on, the heat from that plus the oven may have melted it sooner. It's ok, just keep it in the oven and watch it. Remove it once it starts to bubble, that way you know it is hot all the way through.
Jacks
Your instructions are very detailed. I think everyone will follow it very easily. I've been preparing for my family tonight, hoping everyone will enjoy it. Thank you for sharing!
ashok
Guys, Thanks For sharing this Great Recipe. My Family Loved it. I am definitely sharing this recipe and this website with my friend. Hope they also love it. Thank you again for sharing such a great recipe.
Jenny
This is one of my family's FAVORITE, most requested dishes! I cook a bunch of chicken in the instant pot first and use it for recipes throughout the week. It is cheesy, creamy, and delicious, with a great "kick". I also have made one with cauliflower instead of pasta as a "Low Carb Version", and it was just as yummy! Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Emily Stimpson
These Buffalo Chicken Calzones are another easy and quick buffalo chicken recipe