Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

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This Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese recipe is cheesy, spicy, and loaded with all the good stuff: bacon, jalapeños, and a blend of gooey cheeses that make every bite a flavor bomb. Perfect for game day or a cozy weeknight dinner, this dish is a must-try for anyone who loves a little heat with their comfort food. Think of it as a tasty mash-up of Macaroni and Cheese and my Buffalo Chicken Dip! It’s the perfect weeknight meal and ready in less than an hour!

Let’s Talk Cheese

Believe it or not, I had all five of these cheeses on hand in my fridge to make this. I don’t know if I should be embarrassed by that or not. I’m a girl who likes cheese, what can I say. Here’s what I used: mozzarella, provolone, cheddar, blue cheese, and cream cheese! You can replace blue cheese with goat cheese or just leave it out if you’d like. For the smoothest cheesy sauce, use freshly grated cheese instead of pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has preservatives in it to help keep it fresh longer, which keeps it from melting as smoothly as fresh grated cheese is. Use what you have on hand though.

Making it Spicy!

The beauty of this recipe is that you can make it as spicy or as mild as you’d like. And it all comes down to two ingredients, jalapenos, and hot sauce. Add as many jalapenos as you can handle! I cut mine down for the kids. As for the hot sauce, I used Frank’s Red Hot. It’s a classic when it comes to Buffalo Chicken anything but you can use whatever hot sauce you like best. Especially if you like things spicier. Keep in mind this Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is creamy and that does help moderate the spice.

Ingredients Needed for Buffalo Macaroni and Cheese

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this creamy Buffalo Chicken Mac dish:

• Bacon: Adds smokiness and crunch. Reserve the grease for extra flavor.
• Onion: Diced for a subtle sweetness.
• Jalapeños: Adds heat; remove ribs and seeds if you prefer less spice.
• Elbow Macaroni: The base for our creamy macaroni; cook until al dente.
• Butter: Forms the base of the cheese sauce.
• All-Purpose Flour: Thickens the sauce to perfection.
• Whole Milk & Heavy Cream: Creates a rich and creamy base.
• Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg: Seasonings that enhance the flavor.
• Cream Cheese: Adds tang and creaminess to the sauce.
• Hot Sauce: Use Frank’s Red Hot or your favorite buffalo wing sauce.
• Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar for bold flavor.
• Provolone & Mozzarella Cheese: For that stringy, cheesy pull.
• Blue Cheese Crumbles: For a tangy finish.
• Pre-cooked Shredded Chicken Breasts: Optional, but adds heartiness.
• Corn Flakes: Crushed for a crunchy topping.
• Parsley: For garnish.

Variations

• Protein Swap: Use leftover rotisserie chicken or even ground beef for a different twist.
• Spice Level: Add extra hot sauce or cayenne pepper for more heat, or swap out jalapeños for milder green chilies.
• Cheese Choices: Mix in some Monterey jack cheese or pepper jack cheeses for a little bit of kick.
• Topping Options: Try panko breadcrumbs, ritz crackers or crunchy fried onions instead of corn flakes for an extra crunchy breadcrumb topping.

Love Macaroni and Cheese? Try these other favorites: Smoked Sausage Mac and Cheese, Pumpkin Mac and Cheese, Camping Mac and Cheese, Pimento Mac and Cheese, Broccoli Mac and Cheese, Instant Pot Mac and Cheese, Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese.

How to Make Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

Besides this meal taking a little more time to prepare than usual, it’s really straightforward. Saute some veggies, cook pasta, make the sauce, mix it all together and bake. Really not intimidating in the least, but super cheesy and divine in every sense of the word. For full recipe details, including ingredient measurements, see the printable recipe card down below:

1. Cook Bacon + Saute Onion and Jalapeños

In a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Remove from pan, drain on paper towels and crumble. Pour off excess bacon drippings, keeping some in the pan. Place skillet back on the heat and saute onion and jalapenos until soft. Set aside.

2. Cook Pasta + Preheat Oven

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water generously and cook pasta 2 minutes short of package directions. You want the macaroni to be very al dente, but not still crunchy. Drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter a 9×9 or a 9×13 baking dish, set aside.

3. Make Sauce

In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. whisk in flour and cook. Whisk in milk, cream, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Increase heat to medium-high and continue mixing until sauce thickens. Remove from heat.

Stir in cream cheese and hot sauce until melted smoothly into the sauce. Pour cooked macaroni, sauteed onions, and jalapenos into the sauce. Stir to coat. Then, stir in cheeses and chicken.

4. Top + Bake

Pour mixture into a buttered baking dish and spread out evenly. Top with blue cheese, corn flakes, and crumbled bacon.

Bake 20-30 minutes or until the top of the macaroni is golden brown. Remove from oven, top with parsley and serve hot.

Garnish Options

If you are wanting to experiment a little, feel free to do so! I topped this dish with bacon, blue cheese, parsley, and corn flakes. Try shaking some more hot sauce on this baby or even a drizzle of your favorite ranch dressing.

Storage Directions for Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

Store any leftover Chicken Mac (cooled to room temperature) you have either right in the casserole dish with its accompanying lid or tightly wrapped with plastic wrap or for smaller amounts transfer to an airtight container. Place it in the fridge for up to 3 days! Then when you’re ready to eat again bake until heated through. Or you could always nuke a serving in the microwave.

To Freeze

You could freeze this Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese however just note, thawed and reheated mac and cheese tends to have some texture issues (grittiness and not as creamy). I’d recommend making this in a disposable tin casserole dish then covering and freezing for up to three months! To reheat bake from frozen until heated through.

To Make Ahead

Assemble the dish, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake when ready to serve.

Love Buffalo Chicken Anything? Me Too!

Be sure to check out my other buffalo-flavored recipes down below.

• Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Buffalo Chicken Fries
• Buffalo Deviled Eggs
• Buffalo Chicken Pasta
• Buffalo Guacamole

Enjoy this Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese as your new favorite mac—creamy, cheesy, with the perfect amount of spice. The printable recipe card is down below!

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.

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5 from 28 votes

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

This Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese is cheesy, spicy, and loaded with all the good stuff: bacon, jalapeños, and a blend of gooey cheeses that make every bite a flavor bomb.

servings 6 servings

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 slices bacon
• ▢ 2 tablespoons bacon grease reserved from said bacon
• ▢ 1/2 large onion diced, about 1 1/4 cups
• ▢ 2 jalapenos sliced, ribs and seeds removed
• ▢ 1 pound elbow macaroni

for the sauce-

• ▢ 4 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 5 tablespoons all purpose flour
• ▢ 2 cups milk whole or 2% please
• ▢ 1/4 cup heavy cream
• ▢ salt & pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 pinch nutmeg
• ▢ 2 ounces cream cheese
• ▢ 1 tablespoon hot sauce such as Frank’s Red Hot
• ▢ 2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese grated
• ▢ 1 cup mozzarella cheese grated
• ▢ 1/4 cup provolone grated
• ▢ 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
• ▢ 1 cup precooked and shredded chicken optional

for the topping-

• ▢ 1 cup corn flakes crushed
• ▢ 1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
• ▢ cooked bacon as listed above
• ▢ parsley for garnish

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Remove from pan, drain on paper towels and crumble. Pour off excess bacon drippings, keeping 2 tablespoons in the pan. Place skillet back on heat and saute onion and jalapenos until soft, about 6 minutes over medium heat. Set aside.
• Bring large pot of water to boil. Salt water generously and cook pasta 2 minutes short of package directions. You want the macaroni to be very al dente, but not still crunchy. Drain and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. whisk in flour and cook 1-2 minutes. Whisk in milk, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Increase heat to medium high and continue mixing until sauce thickens. Remove from heat.
• Stir in cream cheese and hot sauce until melted smoothly into the sauce. Pour cooked pasta and sauteed onions and jalapenos into the sauce. Stir to coat. Stir in cheeses and chicken.
• Pour into a buttered baking dish {9×9, 9×13, or somewhere in between should be good} and spread out evenly. Top with blue cheese, corn flakes and crumbled bacon.
• Bake 20-30 minutes until top of macaroni has browned. Remove from oven, top with parsley and serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 965kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 990mg | Potassium: 507mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1544IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 675mg | Iron: 3mg

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese