Description
Delicious homemade Buffalo chicken mac and cheese combines rotisserie chicken, sweet onions, garlic, and elbow macaroni in a rich, creamy cheese sauce, topped with crispy, toasted panko breadcrumbs.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces elbow macaroni
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2¼ cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 3 slices white or yellow American cheese
- ¼ cup Buffalo sauce
- ¼ cup ranch dressing
- 2½ cups diced rotisserie chicken
- 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni al dente according to package instructions. Use a spider strainer to move the cooked pasta to a rimmed baking sheet.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the garlic, cooking for 1 minute.
- Melt the butter in the pot. Sprinkle in the flour, stirring and cooking for 2 minutes. Slowly stir in the milk and simmer until thickened.
- Stir in the salt and black pepper. Whisk in the cheese in several increments, stirring until melted.
- Use an immersion blender on low for 30-60 seconds to create a super smooth cheese sauce.
- Stir in the cooked pasta, buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, and cooked chicken. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish.
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over low heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs and toast for 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add the garlic in the last minute of toasting. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the casserole and bake for 15 minutes.
Notes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 639 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 33 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg