Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese
This Buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese combines the bold flavors of Buffalo sauce with creamy cheese and tender rotisserie chicken, making it the best Buffalo chicken macaroni recipe out there. It's an easy buffalo chicken mac and cheese that's perfect for weeknight dinners or game days, satisfying cravings with its rich, spicy goodness.
Ingredients
- 1 package elbow macaroni (16 ounce)
- 1 rotisserie-roasted chicken
- 6 tablespoons unsalted 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
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add elbow macaroni and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, remove the skin and bones from the rotisserie chicken's wings and legs. Shred the dark meat into bite-sized pieces. (You can also include a bit of the white meat if you prefer.)
- Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Once melted, gradually whisk in the flour to create a roux. Cook for about 1 minute, until lightly golden.
- Slowly whisk in the milk, continuing to stir to prevent lumps. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and bubbles. Stir in a pinch of black pepper.
- Lower the heat and add the shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, one handful at a time, stirring until fully melted and smooth.
- Add the hot sauce to the cheese sauce, tasting as you go to adjust the spiciness to your liking.
- Stir in the shredded chicken, cooked macaroni, and Gorgonzola cheese until everything is well combined and evenly coated in the sauce.
- Serve hot, garnished with extra Gorgonzola or fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Save the chicken breasts and carcass for another use. You can dice some of the white meat in addition to the dark meat if you like, but I find using only dark meat enhances the Buffalo chicken flavor. Substitute your choice of blue cheese for the gorgonzola if desired. For more heat, you can add ground cayenne pepper.