Our easy Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese Recipe with tender chicken, al dente pasta shells, and a creamy cheesy buffalo sauce is perfect for weeknight meals.
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There's only one thing better than comfort food... and that's two comfort foods together! This is the best creamy, cheesy mac and cheese you've ever eaten, combined with tender and tangy shredded buffalo chicken.
It is so good you'll want to eat it straight out of the crockpot from the serving spoon!
🧂 Ingredients
- boneless skinless chicken breasts
- chicken broth
- buffalo wing sauce
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- celery salt
- pasta shells
- butter
- all purpose flour
- whole milk
- shredded cheese
- salt and pepper
This is meant to be a brief overview of the slow cooker buffalo chicken mac. For step-by-step instructions and a full printable recipe card with ingredients, please scroll down to the teal box below or Jump to Recipe.
🔪 Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Place the seasoned chicken breasts into the slow cooker.
- In a liquid measuring cup, mix the chicken stock and Buffalo sauce with the garlic powder, onion powder and celery salt. Pour over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or on LOW for 6-8 hours.
- Shred the cooked chicken with two forks, then return to crock.
- Add uncooked pasta and stir to combine. Cook for 40 minutes until the pasta is al dente.
How to Make the Cheese Sauce
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat.
- Whisk in the flour and cook 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly pour in the milk, while whisking until the flour and milk combine completely.
- Allo the sauce to simmer for 4-6 minutes, whisking almost constantly, until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheese a little bit at a time until it is all melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and chicken mixture in the crockpot and stir to combine.
🥄Equipment
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Here is what you will need to make Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese:
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⭐ Tips
✔️ This cheese sauce is best made on the stovetop since it starts with a roux.
✔️ You can always add more buffalo wings sauce so start with the amount in the recipe card and then add additional as needed.
🍲 Storage
To Store: Refridgerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
To Reheat: Microwave individual portions as needed for 1-2 minutes, depending on your microwave.
To Freeze: Flash freeze in a casserole dish for 1 hour until it is solid. Remove it from the casserole dish and place it into a freezer bag. Seal and label. Frozen mac and cheese will last 12-18 months in the freezer.
To Thaw: Allow the buffalo mac and cheese casserole to thaw overnight in the fridge. Bake uncovered until heated throughout.
(These are my favorite airtight containers.)
📖 Variations
The first time you try any new recipe we recommend that you make it just as it is written on the recipe card since that is how the buffalo mac recipe has been tested. However, the next time you make our recipe, you might want to try one of these ideas:
- For extra creamy mac and cheese, stir in 2 tablespoons of softened cream cheese with the uncooked pasta shells.
- Substitute heavy cream for half of the milk for a super creamy cheese sauce.
- For extra spicy mac and cheese, add a drizzle of buffalo wing sauce just before serving.
- Serve with a sprinkle of blue cheese crumbles on top or diced green onions, if desired.
- Toast panko breadcrumbs in a skillet with butter to sprinkle on top before serving.
- Try different kinds of cheese like monterey jack cheese or for an extra spicy kick, use pepper jack.
- Add a small can of drained diced tomatoes with green chilies into the crockpot with the chicken and seasonings for extra flavor.
- Substitute penne pasta, elbow macaroni or other types of pasta.
If you're craving mac and cheese but want to try something a little different, level up with this spicy buffalo chicken mac and cheese!
Stovetop Instructions
Here's how to make this spicy buffalo mac and cheese on the stove top instead of in the crock pot:
- Use our Shredded Chicken Recipe, rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, or other leftover chicken to save time.
- Cook the pasta on the stove top, drain and set aside.
- Make the cheese sauce following the instructions already given.
- Toss the chicken with ½ cup of buffalo sauce, and the garlic, onion and celery seasonings.
- Combine the cooked pasta with the chicken mixture and serve hot.
Alternatively, if you have our Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken on hand, use that and combine it with the cooked pasta and cheese sauce.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
A delicious side salad or some crusty Italian bread are always a great side dish to go with buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese. You could also serve it with one of these tasty veggies:
You'll love these delicious and easy Italian Bread Sticks or one of these yummy recipes:
More Buffalo Recipes
- Best Buffalo Chicken Dip - a classic recipe using Frank's hot sauce and creamy blue cheese dressing that's perfect for football season.
- Buffalo Chicken Salad - loaded with sliced onions, red peppers and topped with ranch dressing, this is a hearty meal.
- Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Soup - an easy recipe any day of the week.
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad - this family favorite is a complete meal thanks to the addition of shredded buffalo chicken.
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken - a simple recipe that you must have in your dinner rotation!!
- Buffalo Chicken Crescent Ring - a great way to use up leftover buffalo chicken and awesome for game day.
😋 Similar Recipes
Next time, try one of these delicious pasta recipes:
- Italian Sausage Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes
- Sausage Mac and Cheese Bake
- Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake
- Chicken Spaghetti with Cream Cheese
- Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese
📋 Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Not ready to make these the best buffalo chicken mac and cheese yet? When you do make it, please come back and comment and leave me a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below!
Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
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Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup Buffalo sauce I use Frank's Buffalo Sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon celery salt
- 8 oz pasta shells, uncooked
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1½ cups milk
- 6 oz shredded colby jack cheese
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Place the seasoned chicken breasts into the slow cooker.
- In a liquid measuring cup, mix the chicken stock and Buffalo sauce with the garlic powder, onion powder and celery salt. Pour over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or on LOW for 6-8 hours.
- Shred the cooked chicken with two forks, then return to crock.
- Add uncooked pasta and stir to combine. Cook for 40 minutes until the pasta is al dente.
Cheese Sauce
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat.
- Whisk in the flour and cook 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly pour in the milk, while whisking until the flour and milk combine completely.
- Allo the sauce to simmer for 4-6 minutes, whisking almost constantly, until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheese a little bit at a time until it is all melted and the sauce is smooth.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and chicken mixture in the crockpot and stir to combine.
Video
Notes
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Sarah Oswald says
We add chicken and broccoli or cauliflower to our mac and cheese.
Samantha Murch says
Oooh this looks so good! I like it medium-level spicy. And ranch is my favorite with buffalo chicken.
Donna says
I like to add broccoli to mac and cheese. This looks delicious!
donna porter says
LOTS of Cheddar is my favorite cheese for mac and cheese. Being from the South I like homemade fried chicken served with mac & cheese!
This recipe sounds and looks so delicious! Can not wait to make!
Leslie says
i think mac and cheese is a perfect companion with salmon patties.
Deb says
How yummy! I like a medium spiced buffalo chicken and adding it to the Mac n cheese sounds amazing! I have memories of my Grandma making it for us when we were kids. It wasn't fancy, she always used velveeta cheese, but it is still the way I prefer it!
Linda Kish says
I like broccoli as a side for my mac 'n cheese
Michelle Bauer says
Have to go with Blue Cheese with Buffalo Chicken Mac 'n Cheese as I'm from Buffalo, NY. Also, I use vegetarian chicken alternative protein like Quorn & vegetable stock as I'm a pescatarian.
Leela says
My mac and cheese memory is from when I first made it from scratch for my kids. They loved it so much.
I still make it several times a month.