Buffalo Chicken Pasta with Ranch
If you love everything “buffalo” you are going to go crazy over this Buffalo Chicken Pasta with Ranch! Tender chicken breast and pasta are tossed in an irresistible, cheesy buffalo ranch sauce. This dish is sure to become a family favorite. And the best part? It’s ready in 30 minutes!
This Buffalo Ranch Chicken Pasta was an instant hit at my house! My family loves all things buffalo…wings, these Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowls, and even Buffalo Chicken Tacos!
So when I combined “buffalo” with pasta…and CHEESE–everyone went crazy! It’s buffalo chicken cheesy goodness! You can use mild buffalo sauce like this one to keep it super kid-friendly 🙂
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Chicken, cheesy, buffalo deliciousness!
- Can be made in about 30 minutes.
- You can use rotisserie chicken to make it even quicker–perfect for weeknights!
- Leftovers are fantastic the next day (if you have any leftovers!)
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Recipe:
INGREDIENT NOTES
Buffalo Sauce: My two favorite brands are Sweet Baby Ray’s and Franks. They both have kid-friendly mild versions, too! But feel free to use your favorite brand.
Ranch Seasoning: Hidden Valley Ranch packets are my favorite.
Shredded Cheese: I like a combo of sharp cheddar and mozzarella cheese in this pasta, but use whatever you have on hand!
HOW TO MAKE BUFFALO CHICKEN PASTA WITH RANCH: STEP BY STEP
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with the exact ingredients will be in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Cook your chicken, then toss with ranch dressing. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the sauce by cooking onion and garlic. Sprinkle in the flour (that will thicken the sauce). Then, stir in buffalo sauce, chicken broth, half and half, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings. Cook until slightly thickened.
Step 3: Stir in pasta, chicken, and cheese. Toss until cheese is melted and pasta is well-coated with the sauce.
⭐️ CONFIDENCE TIP ⭐️
Get the MAX flavor from your chicken: When cooking the chicken, spread it over the bottom of the pan in an even layer. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes WITHOUT STIRRING so it gets nice, brown, and caramelized on that side (that equals FLAVOR!!). After 3-4 minutes, flip, and brown on the other side.
STORAGE & REHEATING
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days (my favorite storage containers).
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in a pan until warmed through. Add a splash of chicken stock/cream/half and half to get the pasta back to a creamy texture.
- Freezing: I do not recommend freezing this dish.
ADDITIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Here are a few additions you can try:
- Celery: Buffalo and celery are a natural pairing! For added crunch, add a few chopped stalks of celery in with your onion and garlic.
- Cream Cheese or Heavy Cream: Make your pasta EXTRA CREAMY by stirring in 1/2 cup of heavy cream or 4 oz. of softened cream cheese to the sauce before you add in the pasta.
Here are a few substitutions you can make:
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well, too. For a super shortcut, used diced rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken.
- Pasta: Switch up your pasta shapes! My favorite kind of pasta for this dish are rotini, penne, shells, and bowtie pasta — they soak up the creamy sauce so well!
- Ranch Dressing: Blue cheese dressing also works, of course!
- Heavy Cream: For extra creamy pasta, substitute heavy cream for the half and half.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You can go wrong with the best garlic bread and a nice, simple arugula salad or tossed salad to go along with this cheesy pasta dish!
My two favorite brands are Sweet Baby Ray’s and Franks. They both have kid-friendly mild versions, too!
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TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE
Check out all of my kitchen essentials in my Amazon store!
My favorite large pasta pan: This thing is a workhorse! It’s huge and great for tossing pasta!
The best garlic chopper: I use this thing pretty much every day!
Pasta pot with strainer: Super handy and great quality.
TRY THESE NEXT…
I hope you love this Buffalo Chicken Pasta with Ranch! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Buffalo Chicken Pasta with Ranch
Ingredients
- 1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into small pieces about 6-8 oz.
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp ranch dressing
- 16 oz. pasta such as rotini or penne pasta
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 small onion, diced about one cup
- 4-5 cloves garlic the best garlic chopper!
- 2 tbsp flour
- 3/4 cup buffalo sauce such as Frank's Buffalo Wing Sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth or chicken stock
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 tbsp ranch seasoning powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded cheese mozzarella or sharp cheddar cheese work great
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: In a large pot of boiling water, add pasta. Cook to al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Cook Chicken: While the pasta is cooking, prepare the chicken and pasta sauce. To a large skillet over medium high, heat olive oil. When oil is hot, add chicken. Spread chicken in an even layer in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes without stirring. When chicken is nicely browned on the first side, flip, then cook another 1-2 minutes until cooked through.
- Toss with Ranch: Remove chicken from the skillet and transfer to a medium bowl. Toss with the ranch dressing, then set aside.
- Cook the Veggies: To the same skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook 2-3 minutes until slightly soft. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Sprinkle in the flour and cook another minute.
- Add Sauce Ingredients: Add buffalo sauce, chicken broth, half and half, ranch seasoning, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese. Bring to a bubble and cook 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Finish the Dish: When the sauce is thickened, add in cooked pasta and toss. Stir in chicken and shredded cheese and toss until cheese is melted and pasta is well coated.
- Optional Additions/"Toppings": Chopped green onions, blue cheese dressing (or more ranch), blue cheese crumbles, extra hot sauce, red pepper flakes.
Wow! This is one flavor packed pasta. Looking forward to enjoying a big bowl of this delish buffalo chicken pasta.
Everything is better with ranch and this pasta was amazing. 10/10.
Love how easy this recipe is. It’s perfect for our family!
I made this for dinner a couple of nights ago when we had company over. It feed everyone, and it was a huge hit!
This my second time making this and it didn’t disappoint! My whole family enjoyed it! Thanks for the recipe!
We had this pasts for dinner last night and it was amazing! It will be great for football Sundays too!
This was a huge hit at my house!! Really amazing!
This recipe was a big hit with my family! I love that it is ready in just 30 minutes and the chicken and pasta are all in one dish!
Wow! This is incredible! Absolutely delicious and I love the combination of ingredients and flavors.