Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

5 from 11 votes

creamy delicious and cheesy mac and cheese made with whole wheat pasta, seasoned chicken bites and tossed in with a buffalo sauce.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Rena

Ingredients

1 pound chicken breast boneless, skinless
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/2 cup chicken broth
1-1/2 cup milk of choice
1-1/2 cup whole wheat elbow noodles
1/4 cup mild buffalo sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
Optional: a small handful of fresh curly parsley chopped to garnish

Instructions

Cut the chicken into small cubes. Place the chicken cubes, onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, salt, and pepper into amixing bowl.
Using a wooden spoon, mix well until all the chicken pieces are evenly coated. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and cook until nicely golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low, then pour in the broth and milk. Allow it to simmer until liquid starts to bubble.
When the mixture starts to bubble, add the noodles. Once again let it simmer until noodles are tender for about 10-12 minutes.
When noodles are tender, stir in the buffalo sauce and 1 cup of cheese. Stir well until sauce is thick, creamy, and cheesy. Divide the mac and cheese among your serving bowls.
Top with remaining cheese while still piping hot, and serve immediately. If you want the dish to be fancier, transfer the mac and cheese to a large baking dish.
Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and broil until the top is golden brown. Garnish with fresh curly parsley, if desired, and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Substitutes:

chicken: use any protein of choice, Chicken works best in terms of flavor and you may use the meat of chicken thighs.
Pasta: any pasta you have on hand that fits your dietary needs. There are healthier pasta choices like chickpea and lentil pasta
Buffalo sauce: go with a healthier buffalo sauce with no added sugar.
Broth: we used chicken broth to bring out the flavor but you can use vegetable broth or water
Milk: any milk of choice will work. We used 2%

Storage:

Place leftovers in a container and store in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave when ready to eat. You can freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutritional facts:

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is calculated using a nutrition facts calculator. It is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition