This buffalo chicken pasta bake goes into the oven in 10 minutes flat - and you don't even need to boil the pasta first! It bakes up creamy, cheesy, and loaded with buffalo flavor, with a little hidden spinach that you'll never even taste. And of course, we top it with blue cheese!
Buffalo Chicken + Cheesy Casserole = Ultimate Weeknight Dinner
You know I love all things buffalo chicken, right? Well, I also love a good casserole dish - so this buffalo chicken pasta casserole was just waiting to happen. And well, let's just say it quickly became one of my favorite recipes!
It has all your favorite buffalo flavors: spicy chicken, blue cheese... and lots of cheese and pasta! It's a bit spicy, but not too spicy - just the right kick. But you can of course make it more or less spicy, if you like.
It's just as simple as my other easy casseroles. You don't even have to boil the pasta! Just cook the chicken (or use leftovers or rotisserie chicken, and you can skip this step too!), put everything together, and bake. This means less time prepping (10 minutes max!) and more time enjoying your life.
"My family loved this so much that my mom requested it for her birthday next month." - Terri
Simple Ingredients for Maximum Flavor
Cook the Chicken or Use Leftovers
The recipe as written starts with raw chicken, but if you have leftover cooked chicken (like shredded chicken) you can also use this. You can also use store bought rotisserie chicken for a simple shortcut.
You can also swap chicken thigh filets for another boneless cut of chicken, I just find the thigh filets have the most flavor.
If you want to use already cooked chicken, start by making the sauce from hot sauce and cream cheese, then mix in the chicken. Since it's already cooked it doesn't need to cook again.
What Hot Sauce to Use
I love Frank's RedHot for the perfect buffalo flavor - but Cholula and Louisiana Hot Sauce are also good options. If you can't find either, a generic hot sauce also works well - but stay away from super hot versions like Tabasco.
To Blue Cheese or Not to Blue Cheese
I love blue cheese and it is such a great match for buffalo flavors. If you don't enjoy it, you can totally skip it though - or drizzle some ranch on top instead. If you have leftover blue cheese sauce, this is also great drizzled on top.
How to Make This With 10 Minutes of Prep
1. Cook the Chicken
Cut chicken in pieces and season with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika powder and black pepper. Sear in butter for a few minutes, until done on the outside - it does not have to be cooked all the way through yet.
2. Make the Sauce
Mix in hot sauce with the chicken, then follow with cream cheese. Mix until the cheese has melted, then simmer one minute before removing from the heat.
3. Layer
Bring out a casserole dish and spread out the pasta in the bottom. Follow with spinach, half the shredded cheese, and all the cooked chicken with sauce. Top with the rest of the shredded cheese, then pour over milka and cream.
4. Bake
Bake in the middle of the oven for 50 minutes. With 5 minutes left, remove from the oven and top with half the blue cheese, then place back in the oven. Top with the remaining blue cheese, and serve!
Pro Tips for Pasta Bake Perfection
Make it as spicy as you like it. It's not super spicy as written, but has a distinct kick. Add more or less hot sauce to suit your palate!
Keep an eye on it in the oven. If it browns too much, tent with foil and/or move it to a lower rack.
Meal Prep and Leftovers
This dish makes for great leftovers, whether kept in the fridge or in the freezer. It's even better the next day!
Prep ahead: Complete all steps except baking, then refrigerate well covered for up to 24 hours. Bake for 50 minutes before serving, adding blue cheese for the final 5 minutes. Give it 10 minutes extra if baking it straight from the refrigerator.
If you want to prep it further ahead of time, you can freeze it before baking. Thaw in the refrigerator and then follow the instructions above.
Make ahead: Make it 1-2 days in advance and store well covered in the fridge. To reheat, cover the dish tightly with aluminium foil and bake in an oven preheated to 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes. Don't add any blue cheese the first time you bake it, instead add it the last 5 minutes when reheating.
Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Store leftovers in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Reheating in microwave: Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 1 minute increments. Add a dash of milk or cream on top before heating, to avoid it drying out.
Reheating in the oven: Cover tightly with aluminum foil and reheat at 350°F (175°C). The time will depend on how much you're reheating - check after 15 minutes and add more time if needed.
More Quick & Easy Pasta Casseroles
More Spicy Buffalo Favorites
- Buffalo Chicken Sandwich30 Minutes
- Buffalo Shrimp10 Minutes
- Buffalo Mac and Cheese1 Hours 5 Minutes
- Buffalo Cauliflower Bites35 Minutes
Recipe
No-Boil Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake
Print RateIngredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 lb chicken thigh filets cut in bite-size pieces; or other boneless cut of chicken; see notes for using leftover/rotisserie chicken
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup hot sauce see notes
- 10 oz cream cheese
- 3½ cups dry penne pasta
- 2 large handfuls spinach
- 2 cups shredded cheese
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).
- Melt butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and season with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika powder and ground black pepper. Sear for 3 minutes, until the chicken is cooked on all sides. It does not have to be cooked through at this point.1 tablespoon butter, 1 lb chicken thigh filets, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon paprika powder, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Pour in hot sauce and mix with the chicken. Then add cream cheese and mix well while the cheese is melting. Simmer 1 minute.½ cup hot sauce, 10 oz cream cheese
- Bring out a baking dish and place the penne pasta in the bottom. Follow with spinach, half the shredded cheese, chicken and the rest of the shredded cheese. Pour over milk and cream.3½ cups dry penne pasta, 2 large handfuls spinach, 2 cups shredded cheese, 1 cup milk, 1 cup heavy cream
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes, until browned on top. Remove the dish from the oven and top with half the blue cheese, then place it back in the oven for 5 more minutes, until the blue cheese is melted.½ cup crumbled blue cheese
- Top with the remaining blue cheese just before serving. Serve on its own or with a green side salad.
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
- Baking dish - approximately 8x10'' (20x25 cm)
- Frying pan
- Measuring cups (metric or US)*
Video
Notes
Using leftover / rotisserie chicken
Start by making the sauce from hot sauce and cream cheese, then mix in the chicken. Since it's already cooked it doesn't need to cook again. ÂWhat Hot Sauce to Use
I love Frank's RedHot for the perfect buffalo flavor - but Cholula and Louisiana Hot Sauce are also good options. If you can't find either, a generic hot sauce also works well - but stay away from super hot versions like Tabasco. ÂMeal Prep and Leftovers
This dish makes for great leftovers, it's even better the next day. Prep ahead: Complete all steps except baking, then refrigerate well covered for up to 24 hours. Bake 50 minutes before serving, adding blue cheese for the final 5 minutes. Give it 10 minutes extra if baking it straight from the refrigerator. If you want to prep it further ahead of time, you can freeze it before baking. Thaw in the refrigerator and then follow the instructions above. Make ahead: Make it 1-2 days in advance and store well covered in the fridge. To reheat, cover the dish tightly with aluminium foil and bake in an oven preheated to 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes. Don't add any blue cheese the first time you bake it, instead add it the last 5 minutes when reheating. Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezing: Store leftovers in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Reheating in microwave: Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 1 minute increments. Add a dash of milk or cream on top before heating, to avoid it drying out. Reheating in the oven: Cover tightly with aluminum foil and reheat at 350°F (175°C). The time will depend on how much you're reheating - check after 15 minutes and add more time if needed.Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Terri
My family loved this so much that my mom requested it for her birthday next month.
Jill S. Burkoff
This recipe is absolutely delicious! It's easy to make and any leftovers are gone by the next day. Thank you for posting!