Buffalo Chicken Alfredo, a fun twist on buffalo chicken wings and Alfredo pasta. This tasty pasta dish has chicken, veggies, blue cheese, and an easy homemade buffalo Alfredo sauce.
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Ohhh how I love “buffalo” everything and anything beyond the typical chicken wings. With the Super Bowl coming up, this Buffalo Chicken Alfredo with homemade alfredo sauce is the perfect dinner, side dish, or even snack for the game. But seriously, who needs the game, just make it for dinner anytime!
It’s been a long time since I’ve added a buffalo dish to my long list of buffalo recipes. I thought it was time to add another one to the list.
This pasta dish is full of pasta, veggies, and a homemade buffalo alfredo sauce. I took my super popular and tasty Homemade Alfredo Sauce and put a buffalo spin on it. For those who aren’t buffalo fans, you might like this Chicken Bacon Alfredo instead.
What is “Buffalo”
I’m assuming everyone knows I’m not talking about buffalo as in the animal.
Although most people know about buffalo chicken wings that consist of chicken wings drenched in a hot sauce, there are all sorts of other buffalo inspired recipes. Buffalo sauce is generally a hot sauce with butter and garlic but can vary quite a bit.
Some of my favorite buffalo inspired recipes are this Buffalo Mac and Cheese, Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Mushrooms, and Buffalo Pretzels. All delish!
The great thing about this tasty pasta dish is you can really use any kind of pasta. You could even use leftover pasta if you have any around. Bowtie or fettuccine would also be good options.
I used Frank’s hot sauce but you can use your favorite brand. You may need to adjust the amount though based on personal preference.
For the Alfredo sauce, I strongly recommend using heavy cream and good quality Parmesan (not the stuff in the green canister for this one, ok?).
Buffalo Chicken Alfredo Ingredients
- Pasta
- Chicken, boneless skinless breasts
- Butter
- Garlic
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan
- Hot sauce (like Frank’s)
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onion
- Blue cheese
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Alfredo
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to box directions for al dente.
- Meanwhile, cook chicken in a large nonstick skillet (or skillet sprayed with nonstick spray or a little olive oil) over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes or until chicken is browned and cooked through. Set aside.
- Make the Alfredo sauce. Place a large pot over medium heat. Melt butter, then stir in minced garlic cloves. Cook about 1 minute or until garlic is soft and fragrant, stirring constantly.
- Slowly add the heavy cream to the saucepan, whisk until cream comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 3-5 minutes or until it starts to thicken.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese and hot sauce until smooth and thick. Stir in chicken, carrots, celery, onion, and drained cooked pasta. Place on serving plates and top with crumbled blue cheese.
(Full printable recipe card is at bottom of post.)
Serving Suggestions
- The pasta is great all on its own but you can also serve with a salad (maybe with blue cheese dressing or this super popular Homemade Ranch Dressing) or green vegetable on the side.
- Some homemade bread on the side is always a great option. These Homemade Dinner Rolls or these Garlic Cheddar Drop Biscuits are good choices.
- I like to crumble the blue cheese and a little fresh chopped parsley on top before serving.
Quick Tips for Best Results
- You may need to adjust the amount of hot sauce for personal preference. If you like things SPICY you may want to add more or even some ground cayenne or Tabasco sauce. You could also try a different brand of hot sauce rather than Frank’s.
- If blue cheese isn’t your thing, you could mix in some dried ranch dressing like this homemade ranch seasoning into the pasta for a ranch flavor.
- I like the veggies (carrots, celery, and onion) raw in this pasta, but you can certainly cook them if you prefer them soft. You can also add more/less of the vegetables you like or don’t like.
- This is a great dish to use up any leftover chicken you have around. If you don’t have any left see my How to Make Shredded Chicken or Instant Pot Shredded Chicken for some easy options.
- You can use any kind of pasta for this dish but just be sure to adjust the cooking time depending on the type of pasta.
- If you like a lot of pasta and/or sauce, you might want to double either or both.
Buffalo Chicken Alfredo FAQ
How should I store this Buffalo Chicken Alfredo?
It’s really best fresh after it’s been cooked but store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze the Buffalo Chicken Alfredo pasta?
No, I would not recommend freezing this pasta dish. The Alfredo sauce may not freeze well and the consistency could be really off.
How long will the Buffalo Chicken Alfredo last?
Depending on the freshness of your ingredients, it should last a few days covered in the fridge.
Substitutions?
Instead of the carrots, celery, and onion, you could use your favorite vegetables. You can use cooked or raw veggies. Instead of chicken you could use your favorite protein such as shrimp or sausage, or even omit for a vegetarian option.
Can I use low-fat ingredients?
In theory yes, but the heavy cream and good quality full-fat Parmesan are really best for this particular sauce. Lower fat dairy may not result in a thick creamy sauce.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes! Use your favorite gluten-free pasta and double-check your hot sauce just to make sure it’s gluten-free.
What else can I add to this recipe?
You can add your favorite proteins (bacon, sausage, shrimp, etc.) or vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.).
What should I serve this Buffalo Chicken Alfredo with?
It’s really a meal in itself, but you could serve it with a salad or vegetable on the side.
Didn’t turn out, what went wrong?
If you didn’t use good quality high-fat dairy, your results can vary quite a bit.
Other Buffalo Recipes You May Enjoy
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad – This pasta salad is great cold or warm and perfect for potlucks.
- Buffalo Chicken Nachos – quick and easy snack!
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs – I think I could eat a big bowl of these!
- Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls – Asian and Buffalo fusion all in one dish.
Hope you enjoy this Buffalo Chicken Alfredo. Tell me in the comments how you changed it up!
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If you like this Buffalo Chicken Alfredo you might also like my Chicken Alfredo Dip or Cajun Shrimp Alfredo!
Buffalo Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound rotini pasta (or your favorite pasta)
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into small cubes
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup Frank's hot sauce
- 2/3 cup carrots finely chopped
- 2/3 cup celery finely chopped
- 2/3 cup red onion finely chopped
- 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to box directions for al dente.
- Meanwhile, cook chicken in a large nonstick skillet (or skillet sprayed with nonstick spray or a little olive oil) over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes or until chicken is browned and cooked through. Set aside.
- Make Alfredo sauce. Place a large pot over medium heat. Melt butter, then stir in minced garlic cloves. Cook about 1 minute or until garlic is soft and fragrant, stirring constantly.
- Slowly add the heavy cream to the saucepan, whisk until cream comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 3-5 minutes or until it starts to thicken.
- Stir in Parmesan cheese and hot sauce until smooth and thick. Stir in chicken, carrots, celery, onion, and drained cooked pasta. Place on serving plates and top with crumbled blue cheese.
Notes
Mahy says
I love both Alfredo pasta and chicken wings… But when you combine them into one, I get super excited! :-) Perfect recipe for the weekend, thank you!
Jennifer says
Wow! I love how creamy this is. It was just perfect, and I found that the balance between the heat and the creaminess was just delightful. It was just right – enough heat to enjoy, but not enough to give me heartburn! :)
Krissy Allori says
This looks so delicious. I love all things buffalo but I’ve never tried it this way. Pasta is also a favorite. I’m going to pin this for next week. Thanks!
Jere Cassidy says
Yum! I love the flavor of buffalo sauce but never put it with pasta, what a great idea. My family is going to love this for a change from the same old past I always serve.
Anita says
First time using blue cheese in alfredo sauce. I thought I hated blue cheese, but after this, I think I should start using them more in my dishes. :)