Creamy Buffalo Ranch Chicken Pasta (Print View)

Spicy, creamy pasta with chicken, buffalo sauce, ranch seasoning, and melted cheese. A comforting main dish ready in under an hour.

# 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
05 - 1/2 cup sour cream
06 - 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
07 - 1/4 cup 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

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
02 - Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine ranch seasoning, buffalo sauce, sour cream, cream cheese, and milk. Whisk until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Stir the cooked pasta and chicken into the sauce mixture until evenly coated.
05 - Fold in 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 3/4 cup cheddar cheese until well distributed.
06 - Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup cheddar cheese over the top.
07 - Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until the mixture is bubbly and the top is golden brown.
08 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Top with sliced green onions and crumbled blue cheese if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, with mostly pantry staples doing the heavy lifting.
  • The buffalo and ranch combination hits that sweet spot between bold and comforting that somehow makes everyone ask for seconds.
  • One dish, minimal cleanup, and it feeds a crowd without feeling like you spent hours in the kitchen.
02 -
  • The sauce will look thin when you pour it in the dish, but the pasta absorbs and the cheese melts to create something lusciously creamy—don't panic and add more dairy.
  • Undercooking the pasta is crucial because it continues softening during baking; overcooked pasta turns to mush and ruins the whole texture.
  • Buffalo sauces vary dramatically in heat and salt levels between brands, so taste your sauce mixture before committing—you can always add more but you can't take it back.
03 -
  • Soften your cream cheese at room temperature for 15 minutes before whisking—cold cream cheese clumps stubbornly and refuses to incorporate smoothly.
  • Shred your own cheese from a block if you have time; pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting as silkily as you'd hope.
  • Don't skip the resting period after baking; those 5 minutes make the difference between a sloppy dish and one that holds together elegantly on the plate.
Go Back