0
Beecher's Handmade Cheese
0

Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

Jump To Recipe

Tips For The Best Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

Do you love spicy, zesty, protein-packed recipes? If you answered yes, this one's for you! Wings be darned, you’re sure to walk away from this mac and cheese full and satisfied, and with clean fingers to boot! Topped with both shredded Flagship cheese and blue cheese crumbles, this recipe is sure to be a fan favorite. Don't like blue cheese? Swap with your favorite crumbles or more shredded Flagship! And, if you like extra spice, you can always add more buffalo sauce. But remember to add slowly and taste as you go… this homemade Buffalo sauce packs a punch those bottled brands just can't compete with!

How To Make Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

There are a lot of ways you can get to a finished shredded chicken. We recommend starting with a raw, unseasoned, boneless chicken breast. This makes it easiest to control how the chicken is cooked and seasoned. The quality of your meat always matters – so do your best to hunt down a Certified Organic chicken breast for this recipe. Certified Organic standards are by far the most rigorous and are the easiest way to ensure that your meat is additive-free.

Buffalo Sauce

Serve & Store

Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy hot. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.

Recipe

Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Serves: 2 to 4 (as a side)

Beecher's Product used

Flagship Cheese

Triangle of Beecher's Flagship Cheese
The first wheel of Flagship, Beecher’s signature cheese, was handcrafted just as Beecher’s Handmade Cheese opened its doors in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market in November of 2003. Flagship is a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese with a uniquely robust, nutty flavor. It is carefully aged for 15 months to fully develop its complex flavor and ever-so-slight crumble. Outstanding on a Beecher’s cracker! Delivered in one triangle cut piece weighing approximately 7 ounces.
Learn more
Find a Store

Ingredients

6 ounces penne pasta

8 ounces Beecher's Flagship cheese, grated (about 2 cups)

1-1/2 cups milk

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 ounces Beecher's Just Jack cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

Pinch garlic powder

Buffalo Chicken (recipe follows)

1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles (about 1 ounce)

2 teaspoons Buffalo Sauce (recipe follows)


Buffalo Chicken

Makes 1 cup

1 boneless chicken breast

1 tablespoon expeller-pressed safflower oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1-1/2 tablespoon Buffalo Sauce (recipe follows)


Buffalo Sauce

Makes 1 cup

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 5-ounce Cholula sauce

3 tablespoons Tabasco sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
  2. Cook penne 2 minutes less than package directions. Rinse in cold water and set aside.
  3. Melt butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Continue whisking and cook for 2 minutes. Slowly add milk while whisking. Cook until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
  4. Add 1-3/4 cups Flagship cheese, 1/4 cup Just Jack cheese, salt, 1/4 tsp. chili powder, and garlic powder. Stir until cheese is melted and all ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes.
  5. Combine pasta and sauce in a large bowl and mix carefully. Fold in the buffalo chicken. Scrape into an 8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and chili powder.
  6. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Let Mac & Cheese sit for 5 minutes before serving.
  7. Top with Buffalo Sauce and blue cheese crumbles.


Buffalo Chicken

Makes 1 cup

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Coat the chicken breast in oil.
  3. Place the chicken on a lined baking sheet, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  4. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes (or until chicken internally reaches 165°), flipping the chicken breast halfway through.
  5. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
  6. In a medium-size bowl, shred the chicken breast in small mixing bowl and coat with Buffalo Sauce.
  7. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.


Buffalo Sauce

Makes 1 cup

  1. In a small sauce pan over medium-high heat, combine the butter, Cholula, and Tabasco sauce.
  2. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and let cool for 15 to 30 minutes
  3. Use immediately or store in the fridge for up to three weeks.

Looking for instant gratification?

Try Our "WORLD'S BEST" MAC & CHEESE...

Surprisingly in the Freezer aisle