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Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake is loaded with flavor. This cheesy dish is a family favorite easy baked casserole and made with simple ingredients.
As a busy mom of 8, I love making this baked buffalo chicken pasta. The combination of the buffalo sauce, chicken, and cheese creates a meal that my family enjoys.
My family loves buffalo sauce and we create many main dish recipes with it. My kids always request this Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese Recipe, Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers and Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks on a weekly basis.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Recipe:
This chicken buffalo pasta bake is the perfect recipe to make when you have leftover chicken. Since my kids are in multiple activities, I make recipes that are quick and easy and made with ingredients I usually have on hand.
If you love our Buffalo Chicken Dip, then you are going to love this cheesy pasta bake.
Ingredients:
- Penne Pasta
- Cream Cheese (softened)
- Ranch Seasoning Mix
- Milk
- Buffalo Sauce (divided)
- Cooked Shredded Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Monterey Jack Cheese (shredded)
- Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
- Green Onions (sliced)
Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.
Variations Ideas:
- Pasta – Feel free to use different types of pasta when making this casserole dish. We have even used gluten-free pasta and it turned out great.
- Plain Greek Yogurt – For a lighter, healthier choice use Greek Yogurt instead of cream cheese. The texture will still be creamy with a few calories.
- Chicken – We cooked boneless skinless chicken breast but you can also use rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken thighs.
- Vegetables – If you perfect you can sneak in veggie to this buffalo chicken pasta casserole. Chopped carrots, zucchini or cauliflower are great options.
- Buffalo Wing Sauce – Feel free to make this any brand of buffalo sauce. We like using Frank’s Red Hot Sauce as we think it taste the best. But it is a personal preference.
- Cheese – Feel free to change the cheese by adding or substitute with mozzarella cheese.
- Blue Cheese Dressing – Feel free to substitute the ranch dressing with blue cheese dressing.
Step by Step Instructions:
- Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9X13 baking pan with a non-stick cooking spray.
- Step 2 – Cook the pasta to al dente based on the package instruction. Rinse and set aside.
- Step 3 – In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese, ranch dressing mix, milk and ¼ cup Buffalo Sauce.
- Step 4 – Stir in the cooked chicken, pasta and half of each of the shredded cheeses.
- Step 5 – Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Drizzle the remaining buffalo sauce on top and top with the remaining shredded cheeses.
- Step 6 – Bake for 25-30 minutes until heated through and the cheese on top is fully melted.
- Step 7 – Remove from the oven, let it rest for 10-15 minutes and top with the sliced green onions. Then it’s ready to serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips:
- Prepare Baking Dish – Prepare the baking dish with cooking spray to ensure that the casserole is easy to clean up. It also makes cleanup a breeze.
- Cooking Pasta – Cook the pasta over medium heat according to the package. While the pasta cooks, continue to stir to prevent the pasta from sticking to the large pot.
- Cream Cheese – Before mixing the cream cheese with the other ingredients, make sure that it has softened to room temperature. This help to create a smooth and creamy texture.
- Cook Chicken – This recipe starts with cooked chicken. Make this crock pot chicken recipe to make this recipe even easier. You can even learn how to shred the chicken with stand mixer.
Serving Suggestions:
This buffalo chicken pasta recipe is delicious served with a light side dish. We often serve with a side salad or air fry broccoli. We even like to make Homemade Garlic Bread to make sure we get every last drop of the buffalo sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Yes, this casserole can be prepared one day ahead of time of serving it. Prepare the dish and place in a casserole dish topping with the sharp cheddar cheese. Place in the refrigerator and then bake when ready to serve.
Yes, this recipe can be made in the slow cooker. Make this Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Pasta for a delicious buffalo chicken casserole recipe.
More Easy Buffalo Chicken Recipes:
If you make this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake Recipe, make sure to leave us a comment or a star review.
Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Penne Pasta
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese softened
- 2 Tablespoons Ranch Seasoning Mix
- 1/3 cup Milk
- 1/2 cup Buffalo Sauce divided
- 3 cups Cooked Shredded Chicken
- 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese shredded
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 3 Green Onions sliced.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9X13 baking pan with a non-stick cooking spray.
- Cook the pasta to al dente based on the package instruction. Rinse and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cream cheese, ranch seasoning mix, milk and ¼ cup Buffalo Sauce.
- Stir in the cooked chicken, pasta and half of each of the shredded cheeses.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Drizzle the remaining buffalo sauce on top and top with the remaining shredded cheeses.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until heated through and the cheese on top is fully melted.
- Remove from the oven, let it rest for 10-15 minutes and top with the sliced green onions. Then it’s ready to serve and enjoy!