This Buffalo Chicken Pasta is a family favorite made and loved by millions! It combines the bold flavors of buffalo chicken dip with cheesy pasta, all baked in just 30 minutes. One bite, and you’ll see why it’s so popular!
Our buffalo chicken calzone is another quick and easy recipe everyone enjoys.
The recipe for buffalo chicken pasta bake was first shared in October 2016. The post was updated with new photos and tips and republished in February 2025.
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Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake
We're big buffalo chicken fans over here. Our kids request this easy buffalo chicken dip for every movie and game night. So, one day, I thought, "Why not turn it into dinner?" And boom—this cheesy, spicy casserole was born!
I always keep pasta, chicken, and cheese on hand to make this quick dinner in minutes. This pasta bake is perfect for busy nights; you can even prep it ahead of time and bake it when you're ready.
Whether you're a buffalo chicken fanatic or love an easy, cheesy dinner, this dish has something for everyone.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- You can have this dish on your table quickly with simple pantry staples. Using rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked shredded chicken makes it even easier!
- Delicious kid-approved meal! While hot sauce has a kick, you can adjust the spice level to suit everyone's taste. The creamy texture balances the heat, so even those who don't like spicy food will love it.
- This dish is perfect for a crowd! Bring it to game nights, potlucks, or Super Bowl parties, and watch it disappear in minutes!
- It's also great for meal prepping. Leftovers reheat beautifully so that you can enjoy them for lunch the next day.
Jenny says, " 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."
Ingredient Notes
Experience all the delicious flavors of buffalo chicken wings in a creamy, cheesy pasta casserole. This simple recipe requires just a few easy ingredients.
- Chicken - You can use rotisserie, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled, or canned chicken. We have used every kind of chicken in this recipe, and it tastes amazing no matter what you use.
- Cream Cheese - Full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature, will quickly be combined into the dip.
- Shredded Cheese - I enjoy mixing shredded mozzarella cheese with sharp cheddar cheese. For best results, shred or grate fresh cheese blocks. This ensures a smoother melt and creamier pasta.
- Hot Sauce - We love Frank's Red Hot sauce, which gives the buffalo pasta a hot and spicy flavor. You can reduce the amount or use wing sauce 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 wings. Our family prefers ranch dressing, so that's what we use.
- Pasta - Go with your favorite noodles! We like penne pasta since it holds the sauce, but bow-tie noodles would also work great. Just cook and drain the noodles before tossing them into the spicy mix.
- Optional Toppings - Green onions and blue cheese crumbles are great toppings for buffalo pasta.
BruCrew Pro Tip: Use leftover chicken to make a buffalo chicken salad or buffalo chicken wrap.
How To Make Buffalo Chicken Pasta
This spicy pasta recipe is simple, making it a perfect dinner option when you're short on time. FYI: This casserole is smothered in a thick layer of ooey-gooey cheese, so get ready for a scramble for that first scoop!
Cook the Noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the noodles, and cook until al dente.
Make the Sauce: Stir the cream cheese, ranch dressing, and hot sauce in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
Add Chicken and Pasta: Add the shredded cooked chicken, cooked pasta, and some of the mozzarella cheese, then stir gently.
Assemble the Casserole: Spoon the creamy pasta mixture into a greased casserole dish, then top with the rest of the shredded cheese.
Bake until Bubbly: Pop it into a preheated oven and bake it until it’s hot. The cheese on top will melt and get a bit brown.
BruCrew Pro Tip: Drizzle hot casserole with ranch dressing and hot sauce. Then, add green onions and blue cheese crumbles just before serving.
Storage Recommendations
Once the dish cools to room temperature, put leftovers in an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave.
Tips and Tricks
- Cook the pasta until it's al dente, as it will continue cooking in the oven later. After draining, drizzle the noodles with olive oil to prevent them from drying out and sticking together.
- Use buffalo wing sauce instead of Frank's hot sauce for a milder buttery flavor.
- Customize the flavor with different cheeses. Mix and match Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Colby Jack, or gouda for a creamy texture. You can also add pepper jack for some spice and blue cheese for a buffalo flavor!
- Keep the blue cheese dressing and crumbles on the side since not everyone enjoys that strong flavor.
- Complete the meal by adding a side salad and garlic herb bread.
Variations
- Make it extra creamy. Stir ½ cup of sour cream or Greek yogurt into the sauce before baking. This adds a little tang and makes the pasta even smoother.
- Use a different cooked protein. Not in the mood for chicken? No problem! Try shredded turkey, ground beef, or shrimp.
- Add veggies. Boost the nutrition by sneaking in chopped bell peppers, spinach, carrots, or celery.
- Serve it low carb. Skip the pasta noodles and use cooked cauliflower florets.
- Add a crunchy topping. Before baking, top the casserole with crushed Ritz crackers, panko crumbs, or crushed Doritos chips for extra texture.
FAQs
Yes! Mix everything in a large skillet, heat until the cheese is melted, then serve it straight from the pan.
You can prepare the pasta dish up to two days in advance. Mix all the ingredients, then cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate it.
Before baking, remove the casserole from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake the casserole until it is hot and bubbly.
Yes, assemble everything in a foil pan, then cover and freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then bake until hot and bubbly.
More Buffalo Chicken Recipes
- Buffalo Chicken Tots
- Buffalo Pizza Rolls
- Buffalo Wing Chips
- Buffalo Chicken Slider
- Buffalo Chicken Cauliflower Pizza
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Please leave a 5-star ⭐️ rating and a review in the comments section below.
Recipe
Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake
This Buffalo Chicken Pasta is a family favorite made and loved by millions! It combines the bold flavors of buffalo chicken dip with cheesy pasta, all baked in just 30 minutes. One bite, and you’ll see why it’s so popular!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked, penne pasta
- 1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup ranch dressing
- ⅓ cup hot sauce
- 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- blue cheese crumbles and chopped green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray an 8-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain them and drizzle them with olive oil to prevent them from sticking.
- Stir the softened cream cheese, ranch dressing, 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 baking dish.
- Combine the remaining two cheeses and sprinkle over the pasta. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
- Remove and serve immediately with green onions, hot sauce, ranch drizzles, and/or blue cheese crumbles.
Notes
- Cook the pasta until it's al dente, as it will continue cooking in the oven later. After draining, drizzle the noodles with olive oil to prevent them from drying out and sticking together.
- Use buffalo wing sauce instead of Frank's hot sauce for a milder buttery flavor.
- Customize the flavor with different cheeses. Mix and match varieties like Monterey Jack, mozzarella, Colby Jack, or gouda for a melty texture, or add pepper jack for spice and blue cheese for a buffalo kick!
- Keep the blue cheese dressing and crumbles on the side since not everyone enjoys that strong flavor.
- Complete the meal by adding a side salad and garlic herb bread.
- See more tips and variations in the blog post.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 408Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 516mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 18g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
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