Lighter Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

Did you know that mac and cheese doesn’t need to be cream, butter, nor copious amounts of cheese laden to be absolutely luscious and craveable?

Lighter Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is proof!

There’s just 2 Tablespoons of butter in the entire recipe, and I use Greek yogurt to both thicken the sauce and give it a tang that pairs so well with spicy buffalo wing sauce.

A modest amount of freshly shredded cheddar cheese gives the dish decadence, and a secret, cheesy ingredient provides a whole other level of deliciousness.

Start by cooking 8oz gluten-free rotini in a big pot of salted, boiling water until it’s just under al dente. The pasta will finish cooking while the mac and cheese bakes in the oven, so be sure it’s still got a bit of a bite to it.

Meanwhile, add 1lb chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces to a large skillet with nonstick spray over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper then saute until cooked through. Remove to a plate then set aside.

Turn the heat down to medium then melt 2 Tablespoons butter in the skillet and add 2 cloves minced garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, then sprinkle in 2 Tablespoons gluten-free flour (or AP flour if not GF) whisk until smooth, and cook for 1 minute.

Next, slowly stream in 1-1/2 cups milk while whisking constantly then stir until thickened and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes. Believe it or not, I use skim milk in here! You can use whatever you have in the fridge.

Turn off the heat then add in all the goodies starting with 6oz plain Greek yogurt. 

4oz freshly shredded cheddar cheese.

And 3 Laughing Cow Blue Cheese Wedges (my secret ingredient!) I am SO excited about this addition! It melts like a dream and adds an awesome flavor to the mac and cheese. I don’t usually love blue cheese but the flavor in these wedges is just right – not too strong.

Once all the cheese is melted, stir in 1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce. This sauce contains no butter, and thus no fat – just zippy buffalo wing flavor.

Add the cooked chicken and pasta so the sauce then give everything a big stir to coat.

Transfer the mac to an 8×8 baking dish then top with 1/2 cup gluten fre panko-style bread crumbs for crunch, and 2 Tablespoons more buffalo wing sauce for a concentrated punch of flavor.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and bread crumbs are light golden brown.

Let rest for 5 minutes then scoop and devour!

Lighter Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is off the charts delicious. Spicy, creamy, cheesy – and with a nice crunch from the bread crumb topping. Enjoy!

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Lighter Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

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by Kristin Porter

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 45 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr

Servings: 6

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Lighter Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is spicy and decadent, yet lighter than regular mac and cheese. Gluten-free friendly, too!

Equipment

• Large skillet
• 8x8 baking dish

Ingredients

• 8 oz gluten free rotini
• 1 lb chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• salt and pepper
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tablespoons gluten free flour, or AP flour if not GF
• 1-1/2 cups milk, any kind
• 6 oz plain Greek yogurt
• 4 oz shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 Laughing Cow Blue Cheese Wedges, crumbled into pieces
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons buffalo wing sauce, divided
• 1/2 cup gluten free panko-style bread crumbs

Directions 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook rotini in a big pot of salted, boiling water until just under al dente. Pasta should still have a bit of a bite to it as it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain then set aside.
• Meanwhile spray a large skillet over medium-high heat with nonstick spray then add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and then saute until no longer pink. Remove to a plate then set aside.
• Turn heat down to medium then melt butter in the skillet, add garlic, and saute for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in flour then whisk until smooth and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour in milk while whisking then cook until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat then add in Greek yogurt, cheddar cheese, and Laughing cow cheese. Stir until smooth then stir in 1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce.
• Add cooked pasta and chicken to the skillet then stir to combine. Transfer mixture to an 8x8 baking dish then top with Rice Chex or panko bread crumbs and drizzle over remaining 2 Tablespoons buffalo wing sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and bread crumbs are light golden brown. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 426kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 92mg, Sodium: 921mg, Potassium: 413mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 513IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 280mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.

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