Creamy Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Sometimes all you need is a creamy, cheesy carb-loaded meal, and this buffalo chicken pasta surely delivers. It’s a super easy recipe made with light cream cheese, buffalo and ranch sauce and loads of cheese for the perfect weeknight treat.

If you’ve been on Skinny Spatula before, you know that pasta recipes are my jam.

I often cook healthier or veggie pasta dishes, but there are times when only a creamy, cheesy sauce will do.

This creamy buffalo ranch chicken pasta is a recipe that I only make when my family needs a treat.

Even though it has light cream cheese and reduced amounts of cheese, this is not a very skinny recipe. It’s so delicious, though, that it’s really worth it.

Why you’ll love this creamy buffalo chicken pasta

• It’s very easy to make. It only takes 30 minutes to have this delicious buffalo ranch chicken pasta on the table.
• It’s versatile. You can make this cheesy buffalo creamy pasta with chicken breast or use rotisserie chicken instead.
• You can transform it into a buffalo chicken pasta bake. Simply cook the recipe as instructed and transfer it to a baking dish before adding the grated cheese. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling.

What goes into this buffalo chicken pasta recipe

Olive oil + butter — Sauteeing the chicken breast in a mix of olive oil and butter sets out an excellent flavour and creaminess for the pasta dish.

Chicken — Skinless chicken breast is ideal for this recipe, but you can also use boneless, skinless thighs of rotisserie chicken.

If you want to make this buffalo pasta dish with ready-cooked chicken, simply start by sauteeing the shallot and garlic, then follow the rest of the steps and add the chicken with the pasta.

Shallot and garlic — Freshly chopped shallot and garlic are best here.

Tomato paste — Feel free to adjust the amount of tomato paste to your liking.

Chicken stock — It’s a good idea to use low-sodium chicken stock for this recipe because there’s already salt in the ranch dressing and all the cheeses. You can always adjust the seasoning at the end.

Light cream cheese — I used the light cream cheese from Philadelphia for this recipe. You can also use full-fat cream cheese for a more decadent sauce.

Buffalo sauce — I used Franks Buffalo Wing Sauce for this recipe.

Ranch sauce — You can use blue cheese sauce instead of ranch sauce.

Grated cheese — A mix of coloured cheddar and Monterey Jack (or gouda) is perfect for this buffalo chicken pasta. You can only use one of them if that’s what you have on hand.

Pasta — I made this buffalo chicken pasta with penne, but any other type of short pasta will work just as well.

How to make creamy buffalo chicken pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta 1 minute less than recommended on the package Reserve a cup of the pasta water before draining.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan or Dutch oven and melt the butter in it. Add the chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes over medium heat until cooked through.

Stir in the shallot and garlic and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes. Next, add the tomato paste and chicken stock.

Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and stir in the cream cheese until it melts completely.

Allow the sauce to bubble for 1-2 minutes, then add the buffalo sauce and ranch sauce.

Stir to combine, then stir in the cooked pasta. Add a splash of pasta water if it looks too thick.

Stir in the cheddar and Monterey jack, season to taste and serve immediately.

Leftovers and storage

• Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
• Reheat the pasta on the stovetop or in the microwave. If you reheat it on the stovetop, you may need to add a splash of milk.
• I don’t recommend freezing this pasta because it will be mushy once it thaws.

Recipe notes and tips

• You can make this pasta vegetarian by using mushrooms instead of chicken and swapping the chicken stock for veggie stock.
• Buffalo chicken pasta is satisfying enough on its own, but if you want something on the side, you can serve it with a simple salad.
• The cream cheese will melt quicker in the sauce if you allow it to warm up to room temperature first.

If you liked this creamy buffalo chicken pasta, you might also like some of my other easy weeknight pasta recipes:

• Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta
• Penne alla Vodka with Sausage
• Pink Sauce Pasta
• Rigatoni Fiorentina (Creamy Chicken Florentine Pasta)
• Pappardelle al Ragu with Mushrooms

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