Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

Name: Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 pound elbow macaroni; 2 (12 ounce) cans evaporated milk; 4 teaspoons cornstarch; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; 12 ounces American cheese, grated ((I used white American cheese)); 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated; ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter; 3 Tablespoons lemon juice ((optional)); 2 garlic cloves, minced ((optional)); ½ cup Buffalo-style hot sauce ((I used Frank's hot sauce)); 3 to 4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast; 1 cup sliced green onions ((optional)); ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese ((optional))

JUMP TO RECIPE

This creamy Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is such a fun and unique mac and cheese recipe with tender shredded chicken and a slight kick to the creamy cheese sauce!

A 25-MINUTE RECIPE

Hearty, creamy, and oh-so-satisfying, this Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is the next best thing to hit your dinner table. It’s so simple to make and is a delicious one-pot meal, making clean up easier. My family really enjoys this tender mac and cheese with shreds of chicken and that nice zing of buffalo sauce. If you like this buffalo chicken flavored recipe just as much as we did, you’ll love my Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta too!

A scoop of Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese above the rest of the pot.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Can I make this in the Crock Pot?

Certainly. I love turning regular everyday recipes into ones made easier with the help of the Slow Cooker. I would make my recipe for Crock Pot Mac and Cheese and just add some buffalo sauce to it along with cooked shredded chicken (add those in during the last hour of cooking to heat up along with everything else). Top with shredded green onions and blue cheese (if using) before serving.

What if I don’t have evaporated milk?

A can of evaporated milk is thicker than regular milk, so you can’t just sub it 1:1 unfortunately. Instead, you can make some homemade version instead by evaporating quite a bit of the water content from the milk. First, start with 3 1/2 cups of regular milk. I’d suggest using 2% or whole milk. Dump it in a pan and on the stove over medium-low heat until it simmers. Stir it frequently and continue to cook it down for about 20-25 minutes, or until it reduces down to about 1 1/2 to 1 1/4 cup of evaporated milk. If you notice any skin, you can run this through a sieve before using. This would equate to one can of evaporated milk. Since this recipe uses two cans, you’ll want to double this recipe.
If you don’t have the time to do this, you can try to substitute it with a 1 for 1 with half and half since it has a similar consistency. It will be richer than using evaporated milk, but could be done.

Can I use Velveeta instead?

Yes. I would probably just use a 16 ounce block for this, if replacing it for all the cheese in this recipe. You can even use Homemade Velveeta.

What can I use instead of elbow macaroni?

You can use any pasta that will hold the sauce; good options are Cavatappi or shell-shaped pasta. I wouldn’t recommend any flat pastas as the sauce won’t hold on to these as well.

Can I add more heat?

If you like extra spice, add 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the cheese sauce before adding the pasta.

How can I thin this out?

Use the leftover ¼ cup pasta water to thin out your macaroni and cheese if you find it is too thick.

How do I store leftovers?

Any leftovers can be put in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

A pot of Buffalo Mac and Cheese with a serving spoon in it.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

elbow macaroni – Personally I only like macaroni and cheese with elbow but I know it is trendy to use cavatappi these days so go with what your heart desires. I’m just a traditionalist when it comes to that good ole elbow macaroni.
evaporated milk– make sure to grab evaporated milk and not sweetened condensed milk. Often times they’re next to each other on the shelf at the store, but will produce wildly different dishes. Don’t end up with a disaster by using condensed milk, you WANT evaporated milk. Check the FAQ section above to see how to make your own if you need to in a pinch.
cornstarch – this is used as a thickener. Flour has a tendency to get clumpy unless you’re making it as a roux first. With the cornstarch, we can just whisk it in with the other ingredients and it will do its job.
kosher salt
American cheese– I used white American cheese – tastes the same as the orange kind, which you can use if you need to. American cheese is a fabulous melting cheese which is why I like use it in conjunction with the sharp cheddar cheese. Or, you can swap out the American for more cheddar, or trade it for some Colby Jack or Monterey Jack cheeses.
sharp cheddar cheese – It’s better to grate cheese from a block than buy the pre-shredded kind, as the latter contains a coating that prevents the cheese from melting nicely but you do what is easiest for you – no judgement here.
unsalted butter
lemon juice – this is optional and I am always a fan of using real, fresh squeezed lemon juice over the bottled stuff. I used it for the acidity to help sharpen the other flavors, you won’t actually taste any lemon in the flavor profile.
garlic cloves– optional, but super, super flavorful! It can be omitted if you don’t like a touch of garlic in your mac and cheese.
Buffalo-style hot sauce– I used Frank’s hot sauce but you can use another brand you love.
shredded cooked chicken breast– you can make some of this Instant Pot Shredded Chicken ahead of time, use leftover chicken from another meal, use a rotisserie chicken or even canned chicken if in a pinch.
sliced green onions – this is an optional garnish. You could even use chives if you like.
crumbled blue cheese -blue cheese is a love or hate thing. I personally don’t like it but I know it’s a traditional thing with buffalo chicken flavors so I added it here but feel free to leave it out if it’s not your cup of tea.

Elbow macaroni, grated American cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, blue cheese, crumbles, cornstarch, lemon juice, butter, buffalo hot sauce, evaporated milk, salt, garlic, and cooked chicken.

HOW TO MAKE BUFFALO CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE:

Bring 5 quarts of water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the evaporated milk, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in the grated cheeses. Set aside.

Evaporated milk, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl and a bunch of grated cheese being mixed in.

Once the pasta is done, scoop out 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the remaining liquid. Set aside the reserved pasta water for later use.

Macaroni in a strainer and some pasta water in a bowl.

In the same pot the pasta was cooked in, add the butter and cook over medium heat until bubbly. Add the lemon juice and garlic and stir until fragrant and the garlic soft (about 3 minutes). Do not let the garlic burn (it will make the sauce taste bitter).

Melted butter, garlic, and lemon juice in a pot.

Reduce the heat to low and add the hot sauce and cheese mixture. Stir until melted and smooth.

Buffalo sauce and cheeses being added to a cheese sauce in a pot.

Add the cooked pasta and ¾ cup of the reserved pasta water and cook on low heat until the mixture is slightly thickened. Season with salt to taste. Gently stir in the shredded chicken with a soft silicone spatula (so as not to damage the pasta).