One-Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta
When you want buffalo chicken dip energy without the extra dishes.
This is the kind of dinner to make when you’re tired, hungry, and done negotiating with yourself. It turns the familiar buffalo chicken pasta idea into a one-pot meal with real comfort and very little cleanup. Everything cooks in one pan, and the sauce comes together from broth, cream cheese, and hot sauce, so you’re not juggling a bunch of separate bowls. It’s not a fancy pasta night; it’s a dependable, salty-spicy, creamy dinner that tastes like more effort than it is. Serve it when you need something warm and satisfying fast, especially on a weeknight when the sink already has enough to do.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts — cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 2 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cup milk
- 8 oz cream cheese — cubed
- 0.5 cup buffalo hot sauce
- 12 oz short pasta — such as rotini or shells
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 unit green onions — sliced
- 0.25 cup crumbled blue cheese — optional for serving
Method
- 1 Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet or wide saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, salt, and pepper, and cook until the chicken is mostly cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- 2 Add the chicken broth, milk, cream cheese, buffalo hot sauce, and pasta. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the pasta is tender and the sauce has thickened, 10 to 12 minutes.
- 3 Turn off the heat and stir in the cheddar until melted and creamy. Taste and adjust with more hot sauce or salt if needed.
- 4 Top with green onions and blue cheese if using, then serve right away.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Replace the chicken with 2 cups of chopped cauliflower and 1 can drained white beans; simmer until the cauliflower is tender.
- Faster swap — Use shredded rotisserie chicken and reduce the chicken-cooking step to just warming it through before adding the liquids.
- Substitutions — Swap cheddar for Monterey Jack, use rotini or penne instead of shells, or skip blue cheese and finish with extra green onions.
Notes
If the sauce gets too thick, splash in a little more milk or broth. Use a medium-hot buffalo sauce for balance, or choose a milder one if you want less heat. This is best eaten soon after cooking, though leftovers reheat well with a spoonful of milk.
Equipment that helps
- Large deep skillet or wide saucepan — Gives the pasta room to cook in one pan without overflowing.
- Wooden spoon or spatula — Helps scrape the bottom so the sauce stays smooth and nothing sticks.
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