Oh yes I did!
The Quinoa Mac and Cheese I shared a couple weeks ago was such a hit with Ben, myself AND you guys, that I decided to spruce it up a bit with the addition of chicken, not one but two types of cheese, and dun-dun-dunhhhh buffalo sauce – muwahaha!
I’m calling my Frankenstein creation Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Mac and Cheese, which is kind of a mouthful – but then again, so is the dish.
Ok I have to admit – I had absolutely no idea how this recipe was going to turn out. A classic cheese sauce made with flour, milk and cheese would make up the base, that much I knew, but how would the chicken, buffalo sauce and quinoa mix in? Would the buffalo sauce play nice with the cheese sauce? Clash with the naturally nutty taste of the quinoa? Turn into a gooey mess?
There was only one way to find out, of course, so I charged full speed ahead and right on into the kitchen. Here’s the recipe I came up with!
Start by cooking 1-1/4 cups rinsed quinoa in water until cooked and tender.
Meanwhile, season 1 chicken breast with garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper, then cook it in a skillet with non-stick spray. Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces, and set it aside.
Next make the cheesy sauce that binds everything together. Start by whisking 1/2 cup milk together with 2 Tablespoons flour in a medium-sized skillet or saucepan over medium heat.
Add an additional cup of milk, and a couple sliced green onions, then bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly.
After the mixture boils continuously for one full minute, take it off the heat and add in the goodies, starting with 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons buffalo sauce.
(I like Frank’s the best!)
and 1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
BTW – I like shredding cheese for sauces myself, as bags of pre-shredded cheese have cornstarch and other ingredients added to make sure they don’t clump together, which results in a less velvety smooth sauce, imo.
A quick spin through my food processor using the shredding blade took care of it lickity split. Alternatively, a box grater would work “grate”. HA! Right.
Stir the mixture together until the cheese is completely melted, then stir in the cooked quinoa and chopped chicken.
Pour the mixture into a non-stick sprayed casserole dish, and dot the top with tangy chevre. This is my nod to the classic bleu cheese and buffalo flavor combo, but uses some of the 52lbs of chevre I bought from Costco a couple weeks ago…
Broil ’til golden brown & bubbly, then let the quinoa mac and cheese sit for at least 5 minutes to thicken up before serving…if you can wait that long!
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Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Mac and Cheese
Description
Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Mac and Cheese is a delicious alternative to classic mac and cheese!
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 1 chicken breast
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- salt & pepper
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 1-1/2 cups 2% milk, divided
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce
- 1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup chevre (goat cheese), crumbled
Directions
- Preheat broiler. Cook quinoa according to package directions and set aside. Season chicken breast on both sides with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, and cook in a non-stick sprayed skillet over medium heat until cooked all the way through. Chop into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Whisk together flour and 1/2 cup milk in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Pour in remaining milk, and green onions. Switch to a spatula and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, then cook for one minute while boiling.
- Remove the pan from the heat then add in buffalo sauce and cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese is completely melted then add in cooked quinoa and chicken, and stir to combine.
- Pour into a non-stick sprayed casserole dish and top with chevre. Broil for 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and sauce is bubbly.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Pure, spicy lusciousness! I actually whispered “uh-oh!” after my first bite because I knew seconds were going to be hard to resist. Which…they were.
I loved how the poppy quinoa and bites of chicken gave the Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Mac and Cheese texture, while the buffalo sauce and chevre gave it such a unique flavor. The photos make the quinoa mac look a little thinner than it actually was, and it also thickens up the longer it sits. This is such a treat!
Life In Yellow 03.08.2012
LOVE it! I just blogged about your original quinoa mac and cheese this week –
– I’m obsessed with it and can’t wait to try this version. Thanks for keeping me informed about culinary things like quinoa that I probably would otherwise know nothing about. :)
Truly Smitten 03.08.2012
Hi there! Great blog!!! I’m always looking for new food blog and stumbled upon yours! Where in Iowa are you? My husband and I are from Chicago but we recently did a 3 yr stint in Iowa City for his residency and now back in Chicago.
Justine Duppong @ Life With Cheeseburgers 03.08.2012
What a beautiful combo! My hubs would love the incorporation of hot sauce :)
Does cottage cheese count as the type of cheese I can’t live without? I think by the time I finish posting most of my recipes on my blog there will be a whole cottage cheese section!!
For example, one of my favorite breakfasts lately:
Greg and Stacia 03.08.2012
This recipe looks awesome! And we’re glad to see that we aren’t the only ones who’d rather shred their own cheese. We’ve always shredded it by hand, but we might have to try a food processor next time. Thanks for the tip!
Heidi @ Food Doodles 03.08.2012
Wow, this looks so amazing! I’m totally bookmarking this to try soon!
Birds Nest 101 03.08.2012
Oh.my.me. Does this look amazing!!!! I wonder if a dip could be made out of this? Use shredded chicken and serve with sticks of celery and pita chips???? hmmmmm may have to give that whirl.
Iowa Girl Eats 03.08.2012
Yes, for sure! Ben thought the same thing!
Iowa Girl Eats 03.08.2012
I like Trader Joe’s too, but I recently bought a big bag at Costco that’s also really good!
Emily 03.08.2012
What brand of Quinoa do you like best? I am in love with Trader Joe’s (btw) thanks to you! :)
Claudia 03.08.2012
That’s the way we eat in Peru! minus the buffalo wing sauce and the cheddar cheese!!!!
You are giving me ideas to make more Quinua recipes!!!
Erin 03.08.2012
Holy buffalo-ey. It’s 10am and I am now starving. :-)
Lisa 03.08.2012
WOW! We had buffalo chicken BURGERS last night too! I second the “Great Minds” comment :) I am soooo making this recipe this weekend. YUMMO!!!! Thank you!
Rachel @ The Avid Appetite 03.08.2012
wow…I never thought of subbing quinoa for pasta…genius!!! Now I can enjoy buffalo mac and cheese guilt-free!!!
Amateur Mommy 03.08.2012
Mmm, this sounds delish! My husband and I gave up meet for Lent and I’ve been craving the hot sauce/bleu cheese combo, so I think I’ll make this sans chicken, SOON! Thanks :)
Emilie @ Emilie's Enjoyables 03.08.2012
I agree, Chevre is my cheese of choice!!
Grace @ What Grace Cooked 03.08.2012
This looks fantastic. My husband’s birthday is coming up, and he would LOVE this!
How spicy is exactly – more like medium salsa, or more like hot salsa?
Amber @ Busy, Bold, Blessed 03.08.2012
Holy moly. I’m making this ASAP! So simple and yet amazing. I’m becoming midly obsessed with goat cheese but my boyfriend doesn’t like it… maybe if it’s in this dish I can change his mind :D
Ashley @ Coffee Cake and Cardio 03.08.2012
Looks awesome! I’m a sucker for smoked gouda!
Bluegal 03.08.2012
I made quinoa for the first time a few weeks ago because you keep talking about it! :) But I loved it. I’ll definitely make it again. I’m not a fan of chevre but this recipe looks yum. I am a huge fan of smoked Gouda, but the best cheese ever is fresh cheddar cheese curds from Wisconsin. The ones that squeak.
If you’re ever in Austin you have to go to Antonelli’s Cheese Shop.
Darien 03.08.2012
I just cannot get behind quinoa! Which is too bad, because I am GF and a grain besides rice would be nice. (The quinoa pasta is fab though, and so is the corn pasta from Trader Joe’s.) This recipe looks KILLER good though, so after my allergy elimination diet (it’s the pits, don’t do it. six weeks of not eating anything delicious) my husband will be thrilled to try this! We both love Frank’s (and Texas Pete) and mac and cheese, so this will be super fun to experiment with!
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel 03.07.2012
OMG. Probably all my favorite foods ever. In one. <3 Love.