This buffalo hen Mac n’ Cheese is a comfy, creamy, and spicy pasta dish with 3 cheeses – Cheddar, Gruyere and Mozzarella!
PLUS juicy items of buffalo hen. No have to bake something within the oven, it’s all completed on the stovetop.

Nicky’s Recipe Notes

Why do I LOVE making this simple pasta dish for dinner?

• The bottom of this recipe is a consolation meals basic. Everybody loves Mac n’ Cheese. Particularly additional tacky Mac n’ Cheese. Robust Cheddar for flavour, Gruyere for a extra savoury flavour and a little bit of complexity to the sauce, and a bit Mozzarella for creaminess and that good cheese stretch (Gruyere is a pleasant stretchy cheese too)!
• We’ve obtained a stunning spicy kick with the addition of Cajun spice and Cayenne pepper coating the hen, plus tangy sizzling sauce and sliced Jalapeno within the sauce. This enhances the creaminess of the mac n’ cheese SO WELL!
• The addition of hen makes it a full meal with loads of protein. The hen is seasoned and pan fried till golden and juicy.
  **SUB IDEA** Should you like, it’s also possible to swap out the hen items for breaded hen (fry within the air fryer or bake individually), then slice and prime the spicy mac n’ cheese with it.
• It’s completely customisable…
  – Wish to add greens? Bell peppers, peas, sweetcorn and mushrooms make nice additions (or add a facet salad like I do).
  – Wish to minimise the warmth? Sub the Cajun spice and Cayenne pepper for gentle fajita spice combine. Go away the jalapeno out of the sauce and halve the new sauce (if doing this, add an additional tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce).
  – Swap the pasta? Any brief or lengthy pasta works nice!

However most of all, it’s a straightforward weeknight household dinner that I do know will go down properly each single time.

📋 Elements

Scorching Sauce – We’re searching for a number of tang on this recipe, to supply steadiness with the cream, so we’re utilizing Scorching Pepper Sauce. I like Franks Scorching Sauce, however any related sort of sizzling pepper sauce will do. Don’t be tempted to swap it out for Sriracha or candy chilli sauce or related. The new sauce is what offers this dish its signature flavour.

Greatest cheeses to make use of for this spicy mac ‘n’ cheese

I exploit a mixture of Cheddar, Gruyere, and Mozzarella as a result of the Cheddar provides that basic tangy flavour, the Gruyere provides a extra savoury flavour and a little bit of complexity to the sauce, and the Mozzarella provides creaminess and that good cheese stretch!

Elements swaps

Sort of pasta – Elbow macaroni is a basic, however any brief or lengthy pasta works nice! I significantly like spiralli and penne for this recipe too.

Bacon – You possibly can fry up some crispy bacon, chop it up into little chunks and sprinkle it on proper earlier than you serve.

Hen Breast – is my go-to for this recipe, however you’ll be able to swap it out for bite-sized hen thigh items in case you want.

Watch easy methods to make it

***Full recipe with detailed steps within the recipe card on the finish of this put up***

Professional Tip

Make sure you reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water whenever you drain the pasta. You should use this to loosen up the sauce later. The starchiness of the pasta water retains the sauce velvety and helps it to stay to the pasta.

You might serve this up household fashion with a inexperienced salad on the facet or dished out into bowls with chunks of garlic bread.

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• Put a big pan of water on to boil prepared for the macaroni.

• Beginning with the hen, warmth the oil in a big frying pan over a medium-high warmth. When sizzling, add the hen, salt, pepper, Cajun spice and Cayenne pepper. Cook dinner for 7-8 minutes, stirring typically, till the hen is simply cooked via. Take away the hen from the pan and place in a bowl.

  1 ½ tbsp oil, 450 g (1lb) hen breasts, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp Cayenne pepper, 2 tbsp Cajun spice combine

• By now the water ought to be boiling. Add within the macaroni and cook dinner as per the pack directions. Then drain in a colander, reserving a cup of the pasta cooking water.

  280 g (9.9oz) elbow macaroni

• In the meantime, add the butter to the frying pan that you simply cooked the hen in and warmth on a medium warmth till melted. Add the onion and Jalapeno and cook dinner for five minutes, stirring typically, till the onion has softened.

  2.5 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 massive onion, 1 Jalapeno

• Stir within the flour till it coats the onion. Cook dinner for 1 minute, stirring typically, then a splash at a time, add the milk. Stir with a whisk between every addition of milk till all of the milk is used and the sauce has no floury lumps.

  2.5 tbsp plain (all function) flour, 400 ml (1 + 2/3 cups) full-fat milk

• Proceed to stir while heating till the sauce begins to thicken. Then add cooked hen and the cooked and drained pasta. Cook dinner for an extra minute to warmth the hen again via. Add in splashes of the reserved pasta cooking water if you wish to loosen up the sauce.

• Stir within the salt and pepper, sizzling sauce, Worcestershire sauce, all three cheeses. Cook dinner, whereas stirring, for an extra 2 minutes, till the cheese melts.

  ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, 4 tbsp sizzling pepper sauce, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 125 g (1 + 1/4 packed cup) cheddar cheese, 75 g (3/4 packed cup) Gruyere cheese, 35 g (1/3 cup) mozzarella cheese

• Divide between bowls and prime with sliced spring onions earlier than serving.

  2 tbsp chopped spring onions (scallions)

Observe: In order for you the sauce to be a bit thinner then add in a splash of pasta cooking water.
Dietary info is per serving (this recipe serves 4).

Energy: 837kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 53g | Fats: 39g | Saturated Fats: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 4g | Monounsaturated Fats: 12g | Trans Fats: 0.3g | Ldl cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 1317mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g

Vitamin info is routinely calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.

🍽️ Aspect dishes to serve it with

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🍲 Extra incredible hen pasta recipes

Acquired any leftovers?

In case you have leftovers, you’ll be able to cool, cowl and refrigerate them straight away. It ought to preserve properly within the fridge for as much as two days.
Reheat in a pan, on the hob, over a medium warmth, stirring typically. You’ll most likely want so as to add just a few splashes of water to loosen up the sauce. Be sure that it’s piping sizzling all through earlier than serving.

Observe: Because the dish cools, the pasta will proceed to soak up liquid, so the pasta might be a bit softer upon reheating.

? Often Requested Questions

Do it’s worthwhile to bake mac ‘n’ cheese within the oven?

Often, you’ll bake mac ‘n’ cheese within the oven for a crispy prime; nevertheless, this could take an additional 20 minutes. This buffalo hen mac ‘n’ cheese is the right creamy, tangy mac ‘n’ cheese that’s on the desk rapidly.

The right way to regulate the spiciness of this dish?

Sub the Cajun spice and Cayenne pepper for gentle fajita spice combine. Go away the jalapeno out of the sauce and halve the new sauce (if doing this, add an additional tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce).

Among the hyperlinks on this put up could also be affiliate hyperlinks – which implies in case you purchase the product I get a small fee (at no additional price to you). Should you do purchase, then thanks! That’s what helps us to maintain Kitchen Sanctuary operating. The dietary info offered is approximate and may range relying on a number of elements. For extra info please see our Phrases & Situations.