Creamy Buffalo Ranch Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)

Spicy, creamy pasta with buffalo sauce, ranch, chicken, and melted cheeses

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or rotini pasta

→ Chicken

02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced

→ Sauces & Seasoning

03 - 1 oz ranch seasoning packet
04 - 1 cup buffalo wing sauce
05 - 1/2 cup sour cream
06 - 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
07 - 1/4 cup milk

→ Cheese

08 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

→ Garnish

10 - 2 green onions, sliced
11 - 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
02 - Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, combine ranch seasoning, buffalo sauce, sour cream, cream cheese, and milk. Whisk until smooth.
04 - Stir cooked pasta and chicken into the sauce mixture until well coated.
05 - Fold in 1 cup mozzarella and 3/4 cup cheddar cheese.
06 - Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and cheddar cheese over the top.
07 - Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
08 - Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with green onions and blue cheese if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering delivery, but tastes like you spent all afternoon in the kitchen.
  • Picky eaters and heat-seekers both end up going back for seconds because you control the spice level.
  • Everything cooks in one dish, which means less cleanup and more time enjoying the meal.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting period—I learned this the hard way by diving in immediately and ending up with pasta swimming in sauce all over my plate.
  • Softened cream cheese is non-negotiable; straight-from-the-fridge chunks will never fully incorporate and you'll bite into waxy pockets.
  • Buffalo sauce brands taste completely different, so start with less than you think you need and adjust upward—you can't take it back once it's mixed in.
03 -
  • Cook your pasta one minute under al dente because it will continue cooking in the oven—this is the difference between perfect and mushy.
  • If your sauce looks too thick after mixing, thin it with a splash of milk rather than adding more buffalo sauce, which tips the flavor balance.
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