Description
Looking for a comforting dinner with a kick? This Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake is creamy, cheesy, and packed with bold flavor. It’s easy to make with simple ingredients and comes together in under an hour. Perfect for game day, potlucks, or weeknight family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound dried rigatoni or penne pasta
- 1¼ cups whole or 2% milk
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup Frank’s RedHot sauce (plus extra for serving, if desired)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese (optional)
- 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Pro Tip: You can use leftover rotisserie chicken to save time. For the creamiest texture, make sure the cream cheese is fully softened before adding to the sauce.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the pasta: Boil in salted water until just underdone (1 minute less than package directions). Drain and return to the pot.
- Make the sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk. Whisk in sour cream, cream cheese, hot sauce, and salt until smooth. Stir in Monterey Jack and blue cheese (if using) until melted.
- Assemble: Add shredded chicken to the pasta. Pour in cheese sauce and stir to coat evenly.
- Top it: Transfer mixture to the baking dish. Mix panko with melted butter and sprinkle on top.
- Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown.
- Rest and serve: Let cool for 5 minutes. Drizzle with extra hot sauce if desired.
Notes
- Serving Idea: Pair with a green salad or celery sticks for freshness.
- Storage Tip: Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat in oven or microwave.
- Heat Level: For more spice, add a few dashes of hot sauce to the sauce or top before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Pasta Casseroles
- Method: Baking, Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 880mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
Keywords: buffalo chicken pasta, creamy pasta bake, spicy casserole, game day dinner