Description
This High-Protein Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe combines creamy macaroni and cheese with spicy buffalo chicken for a flavorful, hearty meal. It’s elevated with blended cottage cheese for extra protein and creaminess, then finished with classic buffalo sauce and optional ranch or blue cheese toppings. Perfect for a comforting dinner with a kick.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 8 oz elbow macaroni
Chicken
- 1 – 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken or baked chicken breast (leg and breast meat also great, leftover air fryer chicken thighs optional)
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 ½ cups milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- ½ cup buffalo hot sauce, plus more for serving
For Serving
- Ranch sauce
- Garnish: green onion, blue cheese crumbles, or more ranch
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions in well-salted water. Once tender, drain and set aside.
- Prep chicken: Cut or shred the cooked chicken (rotisserie, baked breast, or thighs) and add it to a large mixing bowl.
- Blend cottage cheese: Using a small food processor or immersion blender, blend the cottage cheese until it becomes completely smooth. This will help achieve a creamy texture in the sauce.
- Start the roux: In a medium pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook it for 30 to 60 seconds until it forms a smooth paste and the raw flour smell disappears.
- Add milk: Slowly whisk in the milk along with a pinch of kosher salt, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth. Continue whisking until it just begins to gently simmer, about 2 minutes, which will thicken the sauce.
- Make it cheesy: Reduce the heat to low and add the blended cottage cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and buffalo hot sauce. Whisk continuously until the cheeses melt and the sauce is creamy and smooth.
- Combine: Remove the pot from heat and stir in the cooked macaroni and shredded chicken until everything is well coated in the buffalo cheese sauce.
- Serve: Plate the buffalo chicken mac and cheese. Top with chopped green onion, a drizzle of ranch sauce, extra buffalo sauce, and blue cheese crumbles as desired for extra flavor and garnish.
Notes
- For a spicier dish, increase the amount of buffalo hot sauce to taste.
- Using blended cottage cheese in the sauce adds protein and a creamy texture without needing heavy cream.
- Leftover chicken or air fryer chicken thighs work well to save time.
- Ranch or blue cheese are traditional accompaniments that balance the heat of the buffalo sauce.
- Salt the pasta water generously to ensure the noodles are flavorful.
