Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
This indulgent buffalo chicken mac and cheese recipe makes enough to feed a crowd - it's the perfect potluck party dish or comfort food dinner!
Equipment
Ingredients
Buffalo Chicken
- 1 pound chicken breast sliced into roughly 1-inch pieces
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 cup flour
- ½ teaspoon ground red cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- ½ cup Frank's Red Hot
- 1 tablespoon light ranch dressing
Mac n Cheese
- 1 pound cavatappi
- ½ tablespoon butter
- 16 ounces Velveeta cubed
- 8 ounces block sharp white cheddar cheese shredded
- 1¼ cups milk
- 1 teaspoon Frank's Red Hot
Instructions
Buffalo Chicken
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and milk to create an egg wash and set aside. In a separate shallow dish or plate, whisk together the flour, ground red cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper, and set aside.
- Working in batches, coat the chicken in the egg wash, then allow excess egg wash to drip off before transferring the chicken to the seasoned flour. Coat the chicken evenly in flour, then shake off any excess flour before transferring the chicken to the air fryer.
- Once the air fryer is filled with a single layer of chicken, cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Flip, then cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, then transfer the cooked chicken to a large bowl. Continue dredging and air frying the chicken in batches until it's all cooked.
- In the meantime, make the buffalo sauce. Combine melted butter, Frank's Red Hot, and ranch dressing in a small bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. You may need to microwave the mixture for 15 to 30 seconds to help it combine evenly.
- Finally, once all the chicken is cooked, toss it in the buffalo sauce until well-coated and set aside.
Mac n Cheese
- Boil the cavatappi according to package directions, then drain and return to the pot. Stir in the butter until melted.
- In the meantime, add the cubed Velveeta to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and melt, stirring occasionally. Once the Velveeta has fully melted, slowly add the milk and whisk until fully incorporated. Then add the shredded sharp cheddar in small batches, whisking constantly to combine. Finally, stir in Frank's Red Hot and remove from heat.
Assembly
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9x13 glass baking dish.
- Add the cheese sauce to the cavatappi, and stir to combine well. Then, gently stir in the buffalo chicken.
- Transfer the buffalo chicken mac n cheese to the prepared baking dish and cover loosely with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, until warm and gooey. Serve immediately.
Notes
Adding milk to the cheese sauce: To avoid shocking your hot, melty cheese with cold milk, measure out the milk before you start melting the Velveeta and let it sit on the counter until it's ready to go in.
Serving suggestions: Make this big batch mac n cheese for a potluck, cookout, or decadent family dinner. It's comfort food at its best!
Storing and reheating leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat a large batch in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 30 to 40 minutes, or reheat single servings in the microwave for about 2 minutes (stir halfway through).
Nutrition
Calories: 641kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 1661mg | Potassium: 451mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1160IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 566mg | Iron: 2mg
