Crockpot buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese combines spicy Buffalo sauce, creamy ranch dressing, melted cheeses and shredded chicken for a delicious and easy to make dinner.

From the recipe collection of Tara Ippolito

Crockpot buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese the ultimate comfort food mashup. Its spicy, creamy, and almost impossible to stop eating. You get the bold heat of buffalo sauce, the rich creaminess of the melted cheeses, and the hearty big scoop of pasta in every bite. The shredded chicken adds protein and texture, while the cheesy sauce cools down the spice just enough to keep you coming back for more and more. It's cozy, crowd-pleasing, and perfect for game day, weeknights, or anytime you want something unique and comforting.

This truly isn't your average comfort food. I promise you that it's next level. It's creamy, spicy, cheesy, and absolutely loaded with flavor in every bite. The buffalo sauce gives it the perfect amout of kick, while the melted cheese pulls everything together into pure, cozy perfection. If you love bold, unique flavors and easy, satisfying meals, you're going to be obsessed with this one. Trust me, once you try my version, no other recipe will compare.

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients needed to make this delicious recipe. You can find the full list of ingredients along with measurements and instructions in the recipe card below.

Chicken Breast- The chicken will cook but stay juicy in the dressing and wing sauce.
Chicken Wing Sauce- I personally love Franks Red Hot Wing Sauce but any brand will bring a slightly hot and flavorful boost to the pasta sauce.
Ranch Dressing- I prefer Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing for this recipe. It cuts the heat of the wing sauce perfectly.
Ranch Seasoning- Brings in lots of tangy, garlicy and creamy flavor.
Cream Cheese- Adds a cool, creaminess to the dish.
Cheddar Cheese- Sharp, tangy and creamy.
Monterey Jack Cheese- Blends with the cheddar cheese perfectly for the perfect cheese sauce.
Medium Pasta Shells- The perfect pasta choice for this recipe. The shape of the shells holds in lots of the sauce and shredded chicken.
Pasta Water- Just one ladle of pasta water will add a silkiness to the finished dish and helps the sauce cling to the pasta.
Salt and Pepper- The salt enhances all of the other ingredients and the pepper helps to balance out the richness.
Garlic Powder- Distributes an even garlic flavor into each bite of pasta.
Parsley- Sprinkle a little bit on top of the finished dish for a bright pop of color.

How To Make It

Here are the instructions on how to make this meal along with some personal notes. You can find the full ingredients list and instructions in the recipe card below.

First, place the chicken breast inside. Season them with salt, pepper, garlic powder and ranch seasoning. Pour the wing sauce and ranch dressing over the chicken.

PRO TIP: Spray the inside of the crockpot with cooking spray to prevent the ingredients from sticking.

Then, place the lid on and set the crockpot to 2-3 hours on high. Using two forks, remove the chicken, shed it and place it back into the crockpot. Add the cream cheese, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese. Then, give it a little stir and place the lid back onto the crockpot for another 30 minutes.

PRO TIP: Make sure to shred the cheese yourself and avoid the pre-shredded stuff that comes in a bag. It will melt much better that way.

PRO TIP: It's important that the cream cheese is room temperature before adding it to the crockpot so that it melts effortlessly into the sauce and doesn't clump up.

NOTE: You can keep the chicken in the crockpot and shred it in there to avoid getting another bowl dirty just be aware that the liquid inside in very hot so please be careful.

ingredients for buffalo chicken pasta in the crockpot

In the meantime, cook the pasta and stir that and one ladle of the pasta water in until it is evenly coated in the sauce. Finally, garnish with parsley (optional), serve warm and enjoy!

Pro Tip: Don't skip the step of adding the pasta water. The starch will emulsify the sauce, add seasoning and also helps the pasta cling to the sauce.

finished buffalo chicken pasta in the crockpot

What Should I Serve This With

This recipe is super rich and creamy. So, we like to serve a light vegetable like Frozen Roasted Green Beans or Honey Roasted Carrots along side of it. You could always add a nice big slice of Homemade Garlic Bread, too.

Can I Use Blue Cheese Dressing Instead Of Ranch?

Yes, you absolutely can use blue cheese dressing here instead of the ranch. Just keep the ranch seasoning packet and replace the ranch dressing with an equal amount of blue cheese dressing. The flavors will go together perfectly.

Can I Use Chicken Thighs Instead Of Breasts?

Yes, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe instead of breasts. The meat will cook up super juicy and tender.

Storage

Let the pasta cool completely and place it into an air tight container. It will last in the fridge for up to 3 days.