The very first time I made this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake, my whole kitchen filled with that unmistakable smell of creamy ranch, tangy buffalo sauce, and melted cheese all mingling together in the oven, and I remember thinking, “Oh yes… this is going to be good.” I discovered this recipe on a day when I needed something hearty but also exciting, something that felt like comfort food with a kick. When I pulled the dish out of the oven and saw the bubbling cheese and crisp edges, I knew immediately it would become one of my favorite weeknight meals. It’s rich, cozy, flavorful, and exactly the kind of dish that makes you want to pull up a chair before it even cools.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’ll love this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake because it checks every box you’re craving — creamy, cheesy, spicy, comforting, and unbelievably easy to throw together. If you love buffalo chicken dip, this recipe is basically that turned into a full meal with pasta that soaks up all the delicious sauce. You get big flavor with minimal effort, and it’s the kind of dish people ask for seconds of without hesitation.
Ingredients
- 16 oz penne pasta
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 cup buffalo sauce (like Frank’s RedHot)
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Optional: green onions for topping
I’ve tested several versions of buffalo chicken pasta over the years, and I’ve found that penne works best because it holds the creamy sauce so well. Rotini works too, but penne gives you a more satisfying bite. You can use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, or quickly boil chicken breasts — all work beautifully. Cream cheese is non-negotiable for that classic buffalo dip creaminess, and mozzarella melts into the perfect gooey layer. I occasionally swap ranch for blue cheese dressing when I want a stronger, tangier version, but ranch is the most popular and crowd-pleasing choice.
Equipment Needed
- Large pot for boiling pasta
- Large mixing bowl
- 9×13 baking dish
- Spatula or wooden spoon
- Whisk
I love using a large mixing bowl because this recipe makes a generous amount of sauce, and you really need space to incorporate everything without spills. A good whisk helps blend the cream cheese smoothly into the buffalo sauce and ranch, which makes a world of difference in the final texture. A 9×13 baking dish is the perfect size for spreading everything into an even layer so it bakes uniformly. And honestly, a sturdy spatula is something I can’t live without in recipes like this — it makes folding the pasta into the creamy sauce so much easier.
Step-by-Step Instructions
The first thing I do when making this Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake is boil the pasta. I cook it just until al dente because it will continue cooking in the oven, and overcooking it now makes it too soft later. While the pasta cooks, the kitchen fills with steam and that familiar pasta scent that always reminds me of cozy weeknight dinners. I also take this time to shred my chicken if I haven’t done that already. Once the pasta is ready, I drain it and set it aside while I start the sauce.
In a large mixing bowl, I whisk together the buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, cream cheese, and sour cream. The cream cheese can be a little stubborn at first, but once it blends in, the sauce turns into this rich, orange, creamy mixture that looks good enough to eat right off the whisk. I always taste it at this stage and adjust the heat if needed — adding more buffalo sauce for extra spice or a little extra ranch if I want it creamier.(See the next page below to continue…)