Ree's 30-Minute Buffalo Chicken Pasta Has a Spicy Kick

The Editors
the pioneer woman's buffalo chicken pasta recipe
Kick Up Dinnertime with Buffalo Chicken PastaAntonis Achiellos

One thing you should know about me is that I love Buffalo chicken recipes. Buffalo sauce is a weakness of mine in every doggone form: Buffalo wings, Buffalo chicken meatballs, Buffalo chicken dip, Buffalo chicken salad. I can go on, but I won't.

This Buffalo chicken pasta is a more recent addition to my Buffalo chicken obsession. It's the kind of dish you want to curl up with on a fall day when there's a football game on the TV. It's spicy, creamy, saucy, and a great way to lean into those game day food cravings while enjoying a totally dinner-appropriate 30-minute meal. Win-win!

Feel free to add more Buffalo sauce if you're into the spice, and don't skip the blue cheese and celery toppings—that would just be wrong. Any pasta shape can be used, but I especially love how the sauce grabs onto the spirals of rotini. 

Serve this pasta recipe to friends or serve it to your family... as long as your family can handle a little heat! I think I'll go have a bowl now.

Can you use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

Yes, if you don't have thighs or they're just not your thing, 1 1/2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast can be used. Chicken breast tends to cook quicker than chicken thighs, so keep an eye on it.

What can you use instead of beer in Buffalo chicken pasta

I love the depth of flavor beer gives the dish, but you can use chicken both instead. The recipe calls for 1/4 cup, which is used to deglaze the pan, so it isn't much.

Yields: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • 12 oz.

    rotini (spiral) pasta

  • 2/3 c.

    all-purpose flour

  • 2 tbsp.

    salted butter

  • 2 tbsp.

    olive oil

  • 1 1/2 lb.

    boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed into bite-size pieces

  • Black pepper, to taste

  • 2

    celery stalks, sliced thin, plus leaves for topping

  • 3

    garlic cloves, minced

  • 1

    small white onion, diced

  • 4 oz.

    (1/4 c.) light lager beer

  • 1 c.

    heavy cream

  • 1/3 c.

    Buffalo-style hot sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot, plus more to taste

  • 1/2 c.

    crumbled blue cheese (about 2 oz.), for topping

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.

  2. Meanwhile, place the flour in a shallow dish. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

  3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess, and add it to the skillet. Brown the chicken, turning occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate, and set aside.

  4. Reserve some of the chopped celery for topping, and add the rest to the skillet, along with the garlic and onion. Cook over medium-high heat until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the beer and deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to release all the flavorful bits. Add the heavy cream and hot sauce, and bring to a simmer.

  5. Add the reserved chicken and pasta to the skillet. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and continue to cook until the sauce thickens and everything has come together, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the spice level as needed.

  6. Serve the pasta topped with the blue cheese, reserved sliced celery, and celery leaves.

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