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This Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is deliciously spicy, ridiculously cheesy, and basically the best comfort food ever. It makes for a wonderful dinner (with a salad on the side!) and is also perfect for serving in appetizer-sized portions at parties.

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

This Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is deliciously spicy, ridiculously cheesy, and basically the best comfort food ever. It makes for a wonderful dinner (with a salad on the side!) and is also perfect for serving in appetizer-sized portions at parties.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Buffalo Chicken Recipes, Chicken Dinners, Mac and Cheese Recipes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Makes: 10 servings
Author: Sues

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. elbow macaroni
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 Tbsp cayenne
  • 1 Tbsp cumin
  • 2 tsp salt, divided
  • 2 tsp pepper, divided
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 lb. chicken cutlets
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 1 cup buffalo sauce (I recommend Frank's Red Hot), plus more for drizzling
  • 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 cups chopped onions (about 2 medium onions)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups 2% milk
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup crumbled blue cheese, plus more for topping if desired
  • 1 cup buffalo spice cheese (can substitute with Monterey Jack)
  • 2 Tbsp paprika

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add macaroni to it. Cook until just about al dente. Drain. Keep pot out to use later in recipe.
  • Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, combine breadcrumbs, cayenne, cumin, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper.
  • Lightly beat the eggs together in a separate shallow bowl.
  • Dip chicken cutlets in bowl with breadcrumbs to coat. Then dip in eggs to coat, allowing excess to drip off. Dip in breadcrumbs again to coat. Place chicken on a plate and repeat with all the cutlets.
  • In a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken tenders and cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Repeat with all the chicken and move to paper towels to drain and cool a bit. Once cooled enough to handle, cut into 1-inch pieces and toss in a bowl with buffalo sauce.
  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Using the pot you boiled the pasta in, melt 6 Tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, while stirring, for about 6 minutes, until onions are soft, but not browned.
  • Add flour to the pot and stir for about 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Reduce the heat and simmer sauce for 2 minutes. Add all the cheeses, paprika, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Whisk until the cheese melts and sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and add macaroni to pot. Also, mix in about three quarters of the chicken pieces. If your pot isn't big enough, you can mix everything in a separate large bowl instead.
  • Transfer the macaroni mixture into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake macaroni and cheese uncovered until heated through, for 25 minutes.
  • Top macaroni and cheese with remaining chicken pieces, drizzle with some more buffalo sauce if desired, and bake for another 5 minutes. Top with additional crumbled blue cheese if desired.

Notes

  • If you want your mac and cheese to be a little less spicy, don't use the buffalo spice cheese and instead replace with more cheddar. You can also cut down on the amount of buffalo sauce you're tossing the chicken in.
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