This buffalo chicken pasta recipe combines the signature flavor of buffalo wings with pasta coated in a flavorful, creamy sauce for an easy dinner that’s ready in just about 30 minutes.
Here on the blog, my husband makes appearances as a hand model, a stellar dishwasher, and a super cute sous chef who can dice an onion so precisely it puts Bobby Flay to shame. But his real talent is in front of the stove creating crazy mash-ups of our favorite foods. Like these Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks, Baked Buffalo Wings, and Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Dip, we love a recipe in the buffalo-spiced realm. This Buffalo Chicken Pasta dish creation will go down as one of his comfort food masterpieces. The recipe is inspired by three favorite food groups: pasta, chicken, and buffalo wings sauce. Yes, hot sauce is one of our family’s food groups. The pasta’s sauce owes its perfectly balanced mellowness to the cream and chicken broth that mellows the blaze of the buffalo wings sauce. Diced carrots and celery carry on the hot wing tradition while tendrils of fettuccine lovingly wrap each forkful. It’s easy to make and fast to cook, making it a weeknight fave of everyone at the table.
In This Post
Why You’ll Love This Pasta
- This creamy pasta cooks in just about 30 minutes.
- Basic ingredients gain an extra degree of flavor with the addition of a pantry staple hot sauce you can always have on hand.
- You can cut out more time from the preparation by using a store-bought rotisserie chicken instead of cooking the chicken breasts.
What’s in Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- Fettuccine noodles—or another sturdy pasta like spaghetti, penne, or rigatoni
- Butter—use for cooking the chicken and later for thickening the sauce
- Skinless, boneless chicken breasts—cut down on time by using chopped chicken breast from a store-bought rotisserie chicken
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper—always, for flavor
- Leek—a mellow cousin of white or green onion, leek gives an earthy umami flavor
- Garlic—because most every pasta tastes best with garlic
- Carrots—add a touch of sweetness to the pasta
- Celery—another buffalo-sauced vegetable staple
- Heavy cream—the base for the creamy sauce. Use whipping cream or half and half if you prefer.
- Chicken stock—combined with cream, chicken stock loosens the sauce so it isn’t as cloying
- Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce—I don’t substitute this ingredient due to its signature buffalo sauce flavor
- Parmesan cheese—adds a salty umami to the dish
- Parsley—add before serving for a touch of freshness in every bite
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- Set the pasta to cook. While the pasta cooks, start the chicken and sauce.
- Cook the seasoned chicken. I cook whole, skinless, boneless chicken breasts. After, I shred them into strips or chop them into cubes. If you prefer, dice the chicken before cooking for more chicken pieces browned on all sides.
- In the same pan, cook the leeks, garlic, carrot, and celery until softened. Don’t overcook the vegetables, you want a bit of bite in them.
- Add the chicken broth, reduce, then add the cream. Cook the cream sauce until reduced and thickened.
- Stir in the buffalo sauce and grated Parmesan cheese, then add the remaining butter to give the sauce a glossy finish.
- Add the pasta and the sliced or shredded chicken. Toss well to coat and cook for another minute or two.
- Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese and minced parsley, and serve.
Recipe Substitutions and Additions
- Try this recipe with a different type of hearty noodle such as spaghetti, rotini, rigatoni, or penne pasta.
- Garnish the pasta with a few crumbles of blue cheese instead of Parmesan cheese. Or, why not both?
- If you live on the wild side and like your food extra hot and spicy, add more buffalo wing sauce to taste or add a few shots of Tabasco.
- Use half and half or whipping cream instead of heavy cream. Or, try mixing in a few tablespoons of softened cream cheese.
Meal Prep and Storage Tips
- Save time when you cook the chicken and chop the vegetables ahead of cooking.
- Use store-bought cooked chicken instead of cooking your own.
- Store leftovers of this pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- To reheat, warm on the stove or in the microwave being watchful so the sauce doesn’t break.
- You can freeze individual portions of the pasta for up to 2 months.
What to Serve with Buffalo Chicken Pasta
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound fettuccine noodles
- 4 tablespoons butter , divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or canola oil
- 12 ounces skinless and boneless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt , divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 leek , white and light green parts only, diced
- 4 garlic cloves , pressed or minced
- 2 carrots , peeled and diced
- 1 celery rib , diced
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 5 tablespoons Frank's RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce , or to taste
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese , plus more for serving
- chopped parsley , for garnish
Instructions
- Cook fettuccine noodles according to package directions, reserving ½ cup pasta water, drain, and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Season the chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper. Cook the chicken breasts for 7 minutes, turn, and cook for another 5-7 minutes or until the chicken is browned and their juices run clear. Remove the chicken from the skillet, cover with foil, and set aside to rest.
- In the same skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the leeks and cook for about 3 minutes or until they soften. Add the garlic, carrots, and celery. Season with the remaining kosher salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the chicken stock, then bring the sauce to a boil while scraping the cooked flavor bits from the skillet. Reduce the heat to a rolling simmer and cook until the stock is reduced by half, leaving about 1 cup. Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Stir in the buffalo sauce and Parmesan cheese, then cook for another minute. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until it melts and the sauce is glossy.
- While the sauce cooks, slice or shred the chicken into thin strips. Add the chicken and fettuccine noodles to the sauce and toss to coat. Cook for another 1-2 minutes and season with more salt if desired. If the sauce is too thick, add the reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time until it’s the desired consistency. Garnish with parsley and serve with additional Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Try this recipe with a different type of hearty noodle such as spaghetti, rotini, rigatoni, or penne pasta.
- Garnish the pasta with a few crumbles of blue cheese instead of Parmesan cheese. Or, why not both?
- If you live on the wild side and like your food extra hot and spicy, add more buffalo wing sauce to taste or add a few shots of Tabasco.
- Use half and half or whipping cream instead of heavy cream. Or, try mixing in a few tablespoons of softened cream cheese.
Nutrition
More Buffalo Chicken Recipe Ideas
- Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Crispy Baked Buffalo Chicken Breasts
- Buffalo Chicken Meatball Subs
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Brandon
This Buffalo Chicken Pasta looks absolutely mouthwatering! I love how it combines the spicy flavors of buffalo chicken with comforting pasta. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a fun gathering. Can’t wait to give this recipe a try!
Thanks Brandon, hope you enjoy!
Beet Juice
Love every recipe of yours I have ever made! I always know they will be great. Thanks a bunch
Meg
Made this last night for my boyfriend and I and WOW! I am not a big big fan of buffalo but he loves it so I thought this Recipie would be the ultimate compromise. The sauce was thin silky and creamy which I thought was perfect to coat the fettucine without being too heavy. The garlic was a great addition too. I didn’t add as much hot sauce as you had in the recipie just because I’m a little sensitive to the heat but my boyfriend just added a bit more to his bowl. This is also a fantastic base recipie to use for other spicy pasta dishes such as Cajun or even just a plain Alfredo!!! Thank you so much, wish I has made this sooner !!!!!!
Hi Meg! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s seriously one of my favorites, and sort of a sneaker recipe that you sort of associate with the original appetizer version but it’s so good even if you don’t. Thanks for coming back to comment!
Amber
This was fabulous! We added some extra hot sauce, but other than that it was perfect.
Erin L
What a great recipe! :) I made this tonight for my buffalo obssessed husband and we LOVED it! The perfect amount of texture and spice. Thanks for sharing!!!
So glad you liked it and your husband enjoyed! One in the win column.
Jennie @themessybakerblog
I made this gloriously cheesy alfredo the other night and fell in love with its flavor. It’s slightly spicy, extra creamy, and easy to make. Thanks for such a great recipe, Heidi!
Hi Jennie, I’m so glad you like it. Thanks for letting me know :)
Patti
Oh man, I could dive right in. It looks so delicious
You gotta start somewhere. Soon enough, you’ll have them under your photo taking spell!
Allie | Baking a Moment
I love buffalo anything! And pasta is my jam. I love how you’ve rolled two of my favorites into one fabulous dish! :D
Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living
I love hot sauce – what a fun way to enjoy buffalo sauce flavors!
Denise | TLT
Hot sauce a food group? Totally! I always buy a bottle to take home when I travel to the US. This pasta looks like a wonderful dish to use it again. Creamy, spicy and comforting. What more do we need?
Right? Right!!! RIGHT!!
Tieghan
My family would freak over this pasta. Buffalo is out favorite flavor, but in pasta form? That is awesome!
Emily
What the WHAT?! Holy yum!
cheri
it’s nice that you both cook. love this combination, beautiful pics!
Meagan @ A Zesty Bite
This looks like the ultimate comfort food to me.
Christine @ Cooking with Cakes
let’s be honest – is there anything buffalo chicken doesn’t make better?! I think not ;)
bev @ bevcooks
Freaking out just a little bit right now.
Ali | Gimme Some Oven
Whoa. I HAVE to make this. Bravo Jeff! (And way to make it look beautiful as always, Heidi!)
Norma | Allspice and Nutmeg
Yum! This sounds delicious. Pinning.