As summer heats up, you can do the same with your pasta. There’s no reason to serve the same boring spaghetti or chicken alfredo this season – you can wow your guests with a zesty buffalo chicken pasta! The best part about this dish is that you can adapt it to your specific tastes and make it as mild or as spicy as you’d like.
Serving size: 4
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of your favorite buffalo sauce (I personally like Buffalo Wild Wing’s Mild sauce)
- 2 cups of chicken : cubed, cut into small chunks or shredded (I personally enjoy shredded)
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 12 oz penne pasta
- ¾ cup blue cheese dressing or ½ a cup of blue cheese crumbles
- ½ cup chicken broth
- Red pepper flakes to taste
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 spring onion (scallion)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions:
***Before cooking: Use pre-cooked or leftover chicken for faster cooking times OR boil chicken and shred prior to starting the sauce and pasta. ***
Step 1: Boil a medium sized pot of water. When water is boiling add penne and cook until al dente (Times may vary depending on the brand purchased. Specific instructions will be on the box.)
Step 2: While the penne is cooking, heat a large skillet with the cream cheese, chicken broth, and buffalo sauce. Wisk gently with a fork until the cheese has melted and all three ingredients have combined.
Step 3: When the mixture is ready, add a few shakes of salt and pepper (more can be added later if desired), the paprika and garlic powder. You can continue to stir the mixture gently. (Also, remember to keep an eye on your penne!)
Step 4: Add in blue cheese crumbles or dressing while continuously mixing. Once the cheese has melted or the dressing has fully mixed in, add your pre-cooked chicken and let simmer for 12-15 minutes.
Step 5: Add pasta to sauce and mix thoroughly. Your meal is almost ready to serve! Simply put into bowls and add spring onion and red pepper flakes for garnish, then enjoy!
Alternatives:
*You can make this meal gluten free by using gluten free pasta.
*If you have a vegetarian in the house simply take out the chicken and add tofu or eat just the pasta and sauce.
*For lovers of spice, go ahead and use a favorite hot sauce to take things up a level!
*Don’t be afraid to experiment and add other veggies etc.!
