Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta

I've found SP's new favorite meal - Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta.


I made a big batch of this pasta the night before we left for a long weekend. SP was so upset that we wouldn't be able to eat leftovers he made me promise to keep them in the freezer and make it again soon. So I did, this week when I needed another easy meal.

I'm sorry for the horrible photo. I went to a lot of trouble to arrange the pasta nicely in a baking dish but as soon as I was ready to photograph it outside in the natural light a huge storm blew through and it was pitch black at 6:30pm. Sigh. The photos at How Sweet It Is are much better than anything I could take anyway so just go check those out.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta
How Sweet It Is

1 pound short-cut pasta
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into chunks
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 1/2 cups milk
4 ounces grated Monterey jack cheese + more for topping
1/3 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese + more for topping
1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce + more for topping
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare water for pasta and cook according to directions.

While pasta is cooking, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter, and once it’s melted and bubbly add the flour. Whisk together to create a roux and cook for 1-2 minutes until mixture gets a bit golden in color. Add milk, stir and turn down heat to low. Continue stirring until milk thickens. Add in grated cheeses and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in buffalo wing sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Spray a baking dish (9 x 13 is fine, I used a round 4-inch deep dish) with non-stick spray. Add pasta and chicken, then pour cheese sauce over and mix thoroughly until everything is coated. Sprinkle with additional grated cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately top with Gorgonzola, green onions and cilantro. Drizzle with buffalo wing sauce.