Creamy Buffalo Ranch Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)

Spicy, cheesy pasta bake with tender chicken in a creamy buffalo ranch sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or rotini pasta

→ Chicken

02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced

→ Sauces & Seasoning

03 - 1 oz ranch seasoning packet
04 - 1 cup buffalo wing sauce, mild or hot to taste
05 - 1/2 cup sour cream
06 - 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
07 - 1/4 cup whole milk

→ Cheese

08 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

→ Garnish

10 - 2 green onions, sliced
11 - 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking oil or butter.
02 - Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine ranch seasoning packet, buffalo wing sauce, sour cream, softened cream cheese, and milk. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth and fully blended with no lumps.
04 - Add the cooked pasta and shredded chicken to the sauce mixture. Stir thoroughly until all pasta and chicken pieces are evenly coated with the creamy buffalo sauce.
05 - Gently fold in 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and 3/4 cup of cheddar cheese into the pasta mixture until well distributed.
06 - Transfer the entire mixture to the prepared 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and cheddar cheese over the top as the final layer.
07 - Place the uncovered baking dish in the preheated 375°F oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly around the edges.
08 - Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Top with sliced green onions and crumbled blue cheese if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce is so creamy and tangy that every bite feels indulgent, yet it comes together in minutes without any complicated techniques.
  • One dish means one cleanup, and somehow it tastes even better the next day when you reheat it.
  • It feeds a crowd and impresses people who think bold flavors and easy cooking can't exist in the same meal.
02 -
  • Don't overcook your pasta during the initial boil because it'll continue cooking in the oven; al dente is non-negotiable here.
  • Softening your cream cheese before mixing saves you from spending five minutes whisking lumps out of an otherwise perfect sauce.
03 -
  • Tasting your ranch seasoning packet before mixing helps you decide if you need to adjust salt, since some brands are quite aggressive with sodium.
  • If your buffalo sauce is particularly runny, use slightly less milk so your final sauce stays creamy rather than soup-like.
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