Lighter Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is spicy and decadent, yet lighter than regular 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!
Lighter Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Equipment
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
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
This was fantastic.. one of my husband’s favorite things that I’ve ever made. It tastes restaurant worthy! My store didn’t have the blue cheese laughing cow, so instead I put in some light cream cheese and mixed in some blue cheese crumbles, because I had them on hand, and it was delicious. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Made this last night and it came out fantastic! Do you have a calorie count by any chance?
YAY! So glad. :) I don’t have the calorie count but recommend the Livestrong recipe calculator tool: http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/create/
I made this last night and it was seriously SO GOOD! I looked forward to eating the leftovers for lunch all.day.long. today and it was still SO GOOD the next day :) Next time, I might not even bake it, as it was delicious just mixed up on the stovetop. Thanks, Kristin!
What would you recommend if I can’t find the blue cheese laughing cow cheese? They have just plain but I can’t seem to find the blue cheese flavor! Boo!
I couldn’t find blue cheese either so I subbed swiss and it turned out fabulously!
Thanks! I had some blue cheese crumbles so I just did a mix of blue cheese crumbles and cream cheese (for the creaminess) and still turned out delicious. I might have to try the swiss next time though :)
I used 3/4 cup of regular blue cheese crumbles as I had the same issue. It still turned out great!
Delicious! Thanks for sharing.
This looks incredible! I can’t wait to give it a try!
Greek yogurt, spicy buffalo wing sauce, delicious cheddar cheese – you’ve got me sold. I’ve been looking for variations of classic mac and cheese, and this one looks delicious. Thanks for posting!
This sounds so good!
I’ve been dreaming about Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese since having it at Palmer’s a few years ago. I just couldn’t quite put the flavors together. I think you’ve got it! The buffalo sauce vs hot sauce and the secret ingredient will make it perfect. Thank you!
I am obsessed with anything buffalo chicken, I can’t wait to try this!
I’ve definitely gone to Jethro’s more than once just as an excuse to get mac ‘n cheese! Americana’s is also amazing.
I made this last night for my family. My husband is always pouring Franks onto the boxed mac and cheese, so I thought he’d love this. it was a hit. 4 of my children gobbled it up too, and they are 8 and under. love that this is healthified!
It’s not the butter or cream that’s bad for you: it’s the pasta. Even Dr. Weil understands this now.