Buffalo Wild Wings Mac and Cheese Recipe

This Buffalo Wild Wings Mac and Cheese recipe isn’t just plain macaroni and cheese. With its tasty hot sauce, it adds spice to a classic comfort food.

This creamy dish contains all your favorite hot wing flavors, like fiery buffalo sauce. It’s the tangy, cheesy mashup that you’ve been waiting for.

Making macaroni and cheese from scratch seems like a pain, but this recipe makes it easy. Since everything is cooked in one pot, you can throw together this restaurant-worthy dish in under 30 minutes.

Serve this macaroni as an appetizer, a side dish, or as the whole meal! It contains pepper, onion, and chicken, so it’s both tasty and filling. This is a pasta that the whole family is guaranteed to enjoy.

Tips and Tricks for Making Buffalo Wild Wings Mac and Cheese Recipe

• Choose boneless skinless chicken, since it’s easier to shred. You can use chicken breast, or chicken thighs if you like dark meat. You can even use shredded rotisserie chicken.


• Shred chicken by hand or in the food processor. Using the food processor only takes about 15 seconds. Otherwise, you can pull the chicken apart by using two forks.


• Add egg to the cheese sauce to make it even thicker and creamier.


• Cook the macaroni and cheese without a lid. The lid traps steam and will make the top layer of your macaroni soggy. Cook with the lid off to allow the panko on top to get nice and toasted.


• Use canned chicken if you’re short on time. Make sure you drain the liquid first.

Method

1. Preheat the Oven
   

   Heat the oven to 350°F.



2. Boil Pasta
   

   Add macaroni to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil macaroni for 10-15 minutes, or according to package directions.

   Once tender, drain the pasta into a colander and add to your baking dish.
   



3. Add Chicken and Vegetables
   

   Add cooked shredded chicken, onion, and diced bell pepper to the baking dish. Also add half the chopped green onions and half the shredded cheese. Stir until combined.
   



4. Make Buffalo Cheese Sauce
   

   Place cream cheese, minced garlic, buffalo sauce, and blue cheese dressing into the blender or food processor. Mix until well blended and creamy. If it’s not spicy enough for you, add more buffalo sauce.
   



5. Pour Sauce Over Pasta
   

   Pour the buffalo cheese sauce over the macaroni, chicken mixture, and vegetables. Mix well.
   



6. Sprinkle with Cheddar Cheese and Panko
   

   Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese onto the macaroni. Top with panko crumbs.
   



7. Bake and Serve
   

   Bake the macaroni and cheese for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the top is crispy.

   Serve with a garnish of chopped green onions.
   

Ways to Enjoy Buffalo Wings Mac and Cheese

• This mac and cheese is super creamy and rich, so I like to serve it with a fresh side. One of my favorites is crunchy coleslaw! You can make it yourself by mixing diced cabbage with vinegar, salt, and pepper, or buy it pre-made.


• If you want an easy way to get your veggies in, add a side of steamed broccoli. It only takes a few minutes to steam broccoli, and it doesn’t require any other ingredients. The broccoli pairs deliciously with the cheesy sauce!


• And of course, we can’t forget dessert. Follow up this mac and cheese with another comfort food: brownies! I like my brownies served warm and gooey, with a scoop of cool vanilla ice cream on top.

Fun Variations to Adapt This Recipe

Add Veggies

Make this mac and cheese healthier by adding some extra veggies. If you have picky eaters at home, this is a great way to hide vegetables or cover their taste.

Some of my favorite additions include mushrooms, peas and carrots, broccoli, and chopped spinach.
Swap the Panko Crumbs

Panko has a nice light crispiness, but you can swap it out for a more flavorful topping. Try adding crushed crackers like Ritz to the top of your mac and cheese. They add a rich buttery flavor and a hint of saltiness!

Buttered bread cubes also make a delicious topping, and give this dish a chewy, crispy bite.

Add More Proteins

You can add in or swap out any meat you prefer in your buffalo chicken mac and cheese. Canned tuna is a cheap and easy option. If you want to make this the ultimate comfort food, try adding some chopped crispy bacon on top!

For a vegetarian buffalo mac and cheese, you can add black beans instead of meat for protein.

Call for More Creaminess

Some like to add cream to the cheese sauce such as sour cream or heavy cream. If this is the way to go, add 1 cup of the cream of your choice.

Made from buttermilk, ranch dressing is also an interesting substitute for cream.

You can add more cheese too. Opt for a touch of pepper jack cheese. This cheese will spice up the recipe a bit! Count one cup or more.

More Easy Mac and Cheese Recipes For You to Try

• Tiktok Mac And Cheese
• Trisha Yearwood Mac and Cheese
• Red Robin Mac and Cheese