Easy Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese Recipe

🧂 Ingredients

• 8 ounces dry elbow macaroni noodles

  (or use your favorite noodles, like cavatapi)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers

  chopped (optional, for a spicier version)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

  (optional, for extra spicy)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups milk
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

  (or use mozzarella)
• 1/2 cup sour cream

  (or use Mexican crema)
• 1 cup Buffalo sauce
• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken

  (or use cooked chopped chicken)
• For Serving: Crumbled blue cheese or blue cheese dressing, fresh chopped parsley, red pepper flakes

Instructions

• 1 Prepare your macaroni noodles by boiling them in lightly salted water for 10
  minutes, or until al dente. Drain and set aside.
• 2 While the noodles are boiling, heat the butter in a large pot to medium heat.
  Once melted, stir in the flour and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes to cook out
  the raw flour.
• 3 Add the jalapeno peppers and cook for 3 minutes to soften up the peppers.
• 4 Stir in the tomato paste and seasonings and cook for 1 minute.
• 5 Slowly pour in the milk (be careful of splatter). Bring to a boil, the reduce
  heat to simmer. Stir until smooth.
• 6 Stir in the cream cheese until melted through.
• 7 Stir in the shredded cheeses a bit at a time until melted through and the sauce
  is nice and creamy.
• 8 Stir in the buffalo sauce, shredded chicken, sour cream, and noodles until well
  combines. Serve!

Nutrition Info