Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

The best mac and cheese recipe meets buffalo chicken!! So good.

If you want a simple mac and cheese, just make it without the chicken and use plain bread crumbs or shredded cheese to top.

This recipe makes enough for 4 people. You can easily double it, I just figured this would be the quantity most desired.

If you like blue cheese with your buffalo wings, you can add some blue cheese on top of the macaroni. I listed it in the recipe, though that variation is not pictured.

Cheese Sauce

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups milk
12 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Melt butter in a saucepan. Whish in flour, salt and pepper, cook for 1 minute. Add milk and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and melt in cheese and mustard.

Mix cheese sauce with 1/2 lb macaroni noodles, boiled and well drained.

For the chicken:

Shred 8 oz cooked chicken breast (about 2 breasts) you can poach them or roast them, whichever way you like. Mix shredded chicken with Franks Red Hot Buffalo Wings sauce. Use amount that you feel comfortable. I use about 1/3 of the bottle.

For the topping:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 packet dry ranch seasoning (about 2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles

To assemble mac and cheese:

Preheat oven to 400

Spread bottom of a 9x13 pan with half the macaroni and cheese. Spread chicken evenly, then top with remaining half of macaroni. The layers will be pretty thin, so don't worry if chicken sticks out some. The chicken will stay more moist if you put it in the middle, it tends to dry out on top. Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle on top. If you're using blue cheese, put it under the bread crumb mixture.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.