This easy Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe is sure to be a new family favorite. I love spicy food, but the rest of my family likes things a bit milder. This recipe is great because it can be tailored to your preferred spice level, so everyone can enjoy it. Plus, you can make it ahead of time to cut down on dinner prep!
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The spicy buffalo sauce and creamy cheese sauce are the perfect contrast. I use cream cheese and sharp cheddar for the best texture and flavor. I also add ranch seasoning to tone down the heat while complementing the buffalo flavor.
If you like easy buffalo chicken recipes, you will love these spicy Buffalo Chicken Zucchini Boats, Buffalo Chicken Bites and my Buffalo Chicken Wonton Cups.
Why You’ll Love This Mac and Cheese with Buffalo Chicken
- Control the spice level: Use more or less buffalo sauce depending on your preference.
- Great slow cooker meal: This is a super easy slow cooker mac and cheese that’s perfect when you don’t feel like cooking.
- It makes great leftovers: Make extra or save the leftovers for lunch the next day. It’s just as delicious when reheated.
Ingredients
These are all of the components necessary to make the perfect buffalo ranch mac and cheese. This includes everything for both the spicy buffalo chicken and the mac and cheese.
- Buffalo sauce: I used a medium buffalo sauce that has just the right amount of spice. It adds buffalo flavor that pairs well with the cheese and ranch. You can use extra hot or mild if you prefer.
- Chicken breasts: The chicken cooks completely in the buffalo sauce in the crock pot to infuse it with flavor and tenderize it. I prefer boneless chicken breasts for convenience.
- Ranch seasoning: This gives the buffalo mac and cheese recipe a flavor that reminds me of a chicken wing. It’s so yummy!
- Milk and cream: To make the cheese sauce rich and creamy, I use both milk and cream. The heavy cream helps to achieve the perfect consistency.
- Cheese: I use a combination of cream cheese for tang and shredded sharp cheddar for the classic cheese flavor you find in mac and cheese.
- Butter: This adds fat to the cheese sauce for flavor and texture.
- Garlic: The garlic adds depth of flavor to the chicken and the pasta.
- Elbow macaroni: I use classic elbow pasta for this buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Bacon jalapeno: Add chopped smokey bacon and diced jalapeno for extra heat. They taste great with the cheddar cheese.
- Sweet corn: Stir in some corn for added sweetness and texture.
- Blue cheese: Mix blue cheese into the sauce and add as a garnish to the finished spicy chicken mac and cheese.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Here are the directions on how to make this easy slow cooker mac and cheese with buffalo chicken. There’s minimal prep needed before you start cooking, making the entire process a breeze!
Step 1: Prepare and cook the chicken. Pour the buffalo sauce into the bottom of the crock pot. Place the raw chicken breasts on top of the sauce. Then, sprinkle in the ranch seasoning. Add the lid and cook the chicken on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.
Step 2: Shred the chicken. Use two forks to shred the chicken right in the crock pot.
Step 3: Prepare the cheese sauce. Pour in the heavy cream and milk. Then, add the cubed cream cheese, shredded cheddar, butter, and garlic. Stir all of the ingredients well. Set your crock pot to warm and allow the cheeses to melt and come together for about 30 minutes.
Step 4: Cook and add the macaroni. While the cheese sauce is warming, cook the pasta according to the package directions and drain in a colander. Once the sauce is thick and creamy, stir in the cooked elbow macaroni. Sprinkle chopped green onions on top and enjoy!
⭐ Hint: Try using pre-cooked, shredded chicken for this recipe — just skip the first step!
If you love meals like this, you may also enjoy Easy Buffalo Ranch Chicken Pasta, Jalapeno Mac and Cheese, Crock Pot Chicken and Gravy, hot honey chicken tenders, Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken, Crockpot Chili Mac, Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff, Mac and Cheese Meatloaf or Skillet Mac and Cheese.
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: You can reheat leftovers in the microwave or the stovetop for best results. Add a splash of milk to make the sauce creamy again. If frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before you reheat it.
- Make Ahead: Cook the buffalo chicken and pasta. Then, store them separately in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make the cheese sauce.
Serving Suggestions
- Veggies: If you are looking for a tasty vegetable side dish, I recommend Carrots Lyonnaise and Balsamic Green Beans.
- Bread: You can’t go wrong with a side of bread! Serve this pasta dish with an easy recipe like Gluten-Free Cornbread or Air Fryer Garlic Bread.
- Dessert: Finish your tasty meal with a bowl of Brownie Ice Cream with Caramel.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcook the pasta. I cook the pasta until it’s al dente so it doesn’t become mushy after putting it in the crock pot.
- Make it on the stovetop. Try this recipe in a large pot on the stove.
- Add more cheese to thicken the sauce. If the sauce is too thin for your liking, add a little more cheese to thicken it.
Recipe FAQs
If you let it cook too long, it can become dry. After you add the pasta and you’re ready to serve, be sure to turn off the crock pot so it doesn’t continue to cook.
Feel free to use any pasta shape you want! I love using elbow macaroni for a classic mac and cheese feel. Medium shells and rotini are also great in this recipe.
Check the setting on your crock pot. If the heat is too high, it may cause the sauce to separate and become grainy. Ensure it is set to warm, not low.
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More Delicious Mac and Cheese Recipes
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- Crockpot
- Shredding claws or forks
Ingredients
- ½ cup buffalo sauce
- ¾ - 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix not dressing
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened and cubed
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ½ tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 16-ounce box elbow macaroni uncooked
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onion
Instructions
- Add buffalo sauce to your crockpot and place chicken on top. Sprinkle the chicken with the ranch seasoning. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165°F.
- Use 2 forks to shred the chicken in the crockpot. Add whole milk, heavy cream, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, butter and garlic. Use a sturdy spoon to stir the mixture well. Set the crockpot on warm for at least 30 minutes to melt the cheeses while you boil the noodles.
- Boil the noodles according to the package directions. Drain the noodles and add them to the crockpot, stirring well.
- Garnish with sliced green onion and serve.
Video
Notes
- Don’t overcook the pasta: I cook the pasta until it’s al dente so it doesn’t become mushy after putting it in the crock pot.
- Make it on the stovetop: Try this recipe in a large pot on the stove.
- Add more cheese to thicken the sauce: If the sauce is too thin for your liking, add a little more cheese to thicken it.
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