Description
This Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is a flavorful and hearty twist on the classic comfort food. Combining tender shredded rotisserie chicken with spicy hot sauce, creamy cheeses, and perfectly cooked macaroni, this dish brings a delicious kick perfect for game day or casual dinners. Serve it hot with celery sticks and a cold beer for a crowd-pleasing meal.
Ingredients
Macaroni
- 1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
Chicken
- 1 rotisserie-roasted chicken (wings and legs, skin and bones removed and shredded)
Cheese Sauce
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- ½ cup hot sauce (such as Frank's® Redhot®), or more to taste
- ½ cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare the chicken: Remove the wings and legs from the rotisserie chicken. Take off the skin and bones, then chop or shred the dark meat into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
- Make the roux: In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Gradually whisk in the flour, stirring constantly until a thick paste forms. Cook this mixture until it turns golden, about 1 minute, to eliminate the raw flour taste.
- Add the milk and thicken the sauce: Slowly pour in the milk while whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and begins to bubble, about 5 minutes. Stir for another minute until the sauce is smooth. Reduce heat and season with a pinch of ground black pepper.
- Incorporate the cheeses and hot sauce: Stir in the shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses until completely melted and combined into the sauce. Add the hot sauce to your preferred level of spiciness and mix well.
- Combine macaroni, chicken, and gorgonzola: Fold in the crumbled gorgonzola cheese along with the shredded chicken and cooked macaroni. Stir gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Serve: Serve the Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese hot, optionally with celery sticks and beer, to balance the heat and richness. Enjoy!
Notes
- Save the chicken breasts and carcass for another recipe or use.
- Using only dark meat enhances the Buffalo chicken flavor, but you can include diced white meat if preferred.
- Substitute the gorgonzola with your choice of blue cheese for a different flavor profile.
- For extra heat, add a pinch of ground cayenne pepper.
- The nutrition data includes the full amount of chicken; actual consumption may vary.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
