Buffalo Chicken Pasta

This one-pot buffalo chicken pasta recipe is easy to make in one skillet with a delicious creamy sauce and your favorite pasta. Use fresh, grilled or leftover chicken!

This recipe is perfect for fresh, leftovers, or roast chicken. You can use any kind of pasta for this recipe. You can substitute ranch dressing for blue cheese if you prefer.

Ingredients

• One large boneless skinless chicken breast equals 1 pound.
• 1/2 cup bleu cheese dressing, canned sublunch
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
• 1 celery, diced
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes, uncooked, (1 can)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound of penne
• 1/2 cup buffalo sauce
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened and diced
• 1.5 cups cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 tablespoons cold butter (optional)

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Instructions

1. Pro tip: Prepare cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and cream cheese in advance. Keep near room temperature when adding to pasta.
2. Gently Cook/Slice Chicken: Put the chicken in a pan with water and simmer over low heat. (Slow cooking keeps the chicken from becoming tough.) Cook for 15 minutes until tender. Remove and shred with 2 forks. Toss with blue cheese dressing and set aside.
3. Pro tip: Add 1-2 chicken stock cubes to the water to add flavor to the chicken.
4. Noodle preparation: Melt the butter in a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
5. Add undrained diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and add pasta. Submerge the pasta in the liquid and bring it to a boil again.
6. Cover and cook 10-13 minutes or al dente. See box for cooking time. Cook over low heat until sauce thickens, so don't cook more than al dente. Open the lid while cooking and insert a silicone spatula under the noodles several times to keep them from sticking. Test the pasta noodles for doneness before proceeding.
7. Reduce heat. Add buffalo sauce, diced cream cheese, and grated cheese. Stir lightly with a silicone spatula. The sauce looks thin at first, but it will thicken as it is, and will thicken further in the next step.
8. Add shredded chicken and red pepper flakes.
9. option: When the sauce reaches the desired consistency, add 2 tablespoons of COLD butter. It's a technique the chef calls "monte au boule" and adds it to hot sauces for a smooth finish.