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Make this easy Buffalo Chicken Pasta in just 15 minutes! It's the perfect weeknight treat with all your favorite buffalo flavors - mixed with pasta.

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There are some recipes I'm more proud of than others. This Buffalo Chicken Pasta is one of them (my 5-minute blue cheese dressing is another).
Buffalo Chicken Pasta combines two of the world's best things - buffalo sauce and pasta - to make a weeknight dish that's easy to make in just 15 minutes, and so full of flavor you'll be coming back for seconds, and thirds...
Seriously, no dish has ever finished faster in my house than this one!
Why you will love this recipe
- It's easy to make with a few simple steps
- It's quick - when the pasta is done, so is the sauce
- All your favorite buffalo flavors - hot sauce, butter, blue cheese...
- Spicy, but not crazy spicy - so you can actually finish a bowl (or two)
- Green spring onion lightens it up - and adds a nice, fresh crunch
- Heats up really well if you somehow manage to have leftovers
What you need to make it
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Chicken thigh filets have more flavor than chicken breast filets, but both work
- Crumbled blue cheese - I use the cheapest kind I can find
- Cream - I use heavy cream, but low fat, half n half and milk works as well
- Green spring onions can be excluded or switched for a smaller amount of chives
- Hot sauce - I always use Cholula hot sauce* or Franks Red Hot but any similar style hot sauce will work. You can also use a store bought buffalo wing sauce, but then use 50% more sauce and skip the second half of the butter.
- Salted butter can be switched for unsalted, with an added pinch of salt
How to make it
Start by getting the pasta cooking, and it will be done just in time to dump into the sauce.
- Melt half the butter in a pan over medium-high heat
- When the butter is melted and slightly browned, add chicken and season with garlic powder and onion powder. Mix well.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes, until cooked on all sides and all the way through
- Lower the heat to medium and add in hot sauce and the rest of the butter, then stir constantly while the butter is melting
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes
- Pour in cream, mix well, and simmer for 1 minute
- Mix in crumbled blue cheese
- Mix in chopped green spring onion
- Mix well
- Drain the pasta, but make sure to reserve some of the pasta water. Then add the pasta to the sauce.
- Pour over pasta water
- Mix well, simmer for 1 minute, and serve!
Tips & tricks
- Cut the chicken really small to maximize flavor and minimize cook time
- Make it even faster with already cooked chicken - either leftover or rotisserie chicken. Then skip the first half of the butter, and add the chicken in pieces after the hot sauce and second half of the butter has been well combined. Allow to simmer with the sauce to maximize flavor.
- Season the chicken in the pan to save time & cleanup
- Add the second half of the butter after the hot sauce to avoid it browning
- Don't overcook the pasta - cook it 1 minute less than done, it will finish cooking in the sauce
- Want to make it in the oven instead? Check out my Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months
Recipe FAQ
Yes! This Buffalo Chicken Pasta freezes really well, and you can keep it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. For best results, let it thaw slowly in the fridge before heating.
Yes - just choose the amount of servings you're after in the recipe card below and the ingredients will adjust accordingly. Keep in mind that it might take a few more minutes to make if doubling, as you have more chopping to do and more chicken to cook.
Yes! You can make Buffalo Chicken Pasta with any type of pasta - fresh or dry.
More 15-minute dinners
- Larb Gai - Spicy Thai Minced Chicken Salad
- Spicy Sausage Pasta
- Creme Fraiche Carbonara with Bacon
- Tortellini Carbonara
- Vegetable Pad Thai (almost Vegetarian!)
- One-pan Pork Chops and Mushrooms with Red Wine and Thyme
- Smoked Salmon Pasta with Spinach & Lemon
Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Print Pin RateIngredients
- â…” lb spaghetti
- 3 tablespoon butter divided
- 1 lb chicken thigh filets cut in small pieces
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ cup hot sauce
- â…” cup cream full fat or half n half
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
- 4 green spring onions
- â…” cup pasta cooking water
To serve (optional)
- chopped green spring onion
- crumbled blue cheese
Instructions
- Start by getting the pasta cooking. It will then be done at about the same time as the sauce. Cook the pasta until it is almost done, and it will finish cooking in the sauce.â…” lb spaghetti
- Then melt half of the butter in a pan over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted and slightly browned, add in the chicken and season with garlic powder and onion powder. Mix well and fry for 2-3 minutes.3 tablespoon butter, 1 lb chicken thigh filets, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Pour over the hot sauce and add in the rest of the butter. Mix while the butter is melting, then bring to a boil and let simmer for 2 minutes.½ cup hot sauce, 3 tablespoon butter
- Pour in the cream, mix, and simmer for 1 minute.â…” cup cream
- Mix in the crumbled blue cheese followed by the green spring onion.½ cup crumbled blue cheese, 4 green spring onions
- Add in the cooked pasta together with some of the pasta water. Mix well, bring to a boil, and let simmer for 1 minute until the pasta is done.â…” cup pasta cooking water
- Top with som crumbled blue cheese and chopped spring onion, and serve!crumbled blue cheese, chopped green spring onion
Equipment needed for this recipe
Video
Notes
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Chicken thigh filets have more flavor than chicken breast filets, but both work
- Crumbled blue cheese - I use the cheapest kind I can find
- Cream - I use heavy cream, but low fat, half n half and milk works as well
- Green spring onions can be excluded or switched for a smaller amount of chives
- Hot sauce - I always use Cholula hot sauce* or Franks Red Hot but any similar style hot sauce will work. You can also use a store bought buffalo wing sauce, but then use 50% more sauce and skip the second half of the butter.
- Salted butter can be switched for unsalted, with an added pinch of salt
Tips & tricks
- Cut the chicken really small to maximize flavor and minimize cook time
- Make it even faster with already cooked chicken - either leftover or rotisserie chicken. Then skip the first half of the butter, and add the chicken in pieces after the hot sauce and second half of the butter has been well combined. Allow to simmer with the sauce to maximize flavor.
- Season the chicken in the pan to save time & cleanup
- Add the second half of the butter after the hot sauce to avoid it browning
- Don't overcook the pasta - cook it 1 minute less than done, it will finish cooking in the sauce
- Want to make Buffalo Chicken Pasta in the oven instead? Check out my Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days
- Store in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Maria
Thank you for sharing <3 My whole family loved this easy and delicious recipe!
Rosemary
I love the simplicity of this recipe. Such an easy recipe to follow and the spicy flavors sound amazing. As a blue cheese lover, I can't wait to make it this week.
Thanks 🙂
Katie
Looks delicious! Can't wait to try this one.
Toni Dash
This quickly became a favorite meal at my house!!
Renee | The Good Hearted Woman
I don't know that we have a "ride-or-die" flavor (although we do use A LOT of ginger). But this Buffalo pasta is Amazing! We love all the great flavors, and it's delicious with a crisp green salad on the side!
Mama Maggie's Kitchen
This Buffalo Chicken Pasta is making my tummy growl! I really love to try making this dish at home for my husband and son to taste. Thank you for making me really hungry! 🙂
Emmeline Kemperyd
YES that's the kind of response that makes this all worth it! Hope you enjoy!
Toni
Love it! So quick and easy to make!!
Denay DeGuzman
I loved how easy it was to assemble this chicken pasta. My family loved how delicious it tasted! This recipe's a keeper.
Alison @foodbymars
What a delicious dish! Love Buffalo Sauce on all the things!
Jayne
This is such an easy pasta dinner recipe. I love your step by step so easy to follow. Really is a 15 minute recipe. Thanks!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you Jayne!