This healthy buffalo chicken pasta bake is the BEST. It’s more delicious, more nutritious, and so easy to make!
Buffalo chicken pasta bake
This healthy buffalo chicken pasta bake is the BEST. It's creamy, has a kick to it, and totally delicious. It's more nutritious than standard pasta bakes, with 23 g of protein and less than 300 calories per serving. On top of that, it's quick and easy to make.
This will be your new favorite dinner recipe!
Why buffalo chicken?
Let's be real, buffalo chicken is SO good. It's one of my favorite flavor combinations and I don't think I've ever turned anything "buffalo chicken" related down!
Two fan favorites on my website are the Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip (perfect for game day) and Healthy Buffalo Chicken (perfect for meal prep). The Buffalo Chicken Sliders are quickly growing in popularity as well.
In an effort to keep creating buffalo chicken recipes, I present to you this healthy buffalo chicken pasta bake!
What ingredients do I need?
This recipe only has 7 ingredients!
- penne pasta - The recipe calls for whole wheat penne pasta, but truly you can use whatever kind of noodles you want!
- shredded chicken – Adding shredded chicken into the pasta will give off total buffalo chicken dip vibes (let's be real, we love those vibes). Plus it will add quite a bit of protein! There are a few options for how to get shredded chicken. You can buy a cooked rotisserie chicken and shred it, cook chicken breasts and shred them, or use canned shredded chicken. Each of these options will work great!
- plain greek yogurt – This will help create a creamy sauce texture.
- ranch seasoning mix – Ranch seasoning can either be bought in a bottle or in individual packets. It will add flavors to our sauce without having to use a bunch of spices.
- Frank’s hot sauce – This hot sauce is KEY. It will add some awesome spice and flavor to the recipe!
- mozzarella cheese – Adding some mozzarella to melt as the pasta cooks will create a creamy, cheesy pasta bake.
- sharp cheddar cheese - Combining cheddar cheese with the mozzarella cheese is only going to add to the cheesy effect of this recipe!
Can I make substitutions to this recipe?
- chicken – I use canned chicken because it’s it’s easier, quicker, and cheaper. However, if you have some leftover chicken breast you can shred yourself or want to use a rotisserie chicken, you can totally use those options instead!
- cheese – Adding more cheese will make this better. I like to add mozzarella and cheddar, but you can use only one of them or another favorite to make this cheesier.
- greek yogurt – To make this dairy free, choose a plant-based yogurt. For an even creamier texture, you can opt for cream cheese or sour cream.
- Frank’s hot sauce – I do NOT recommend changing this ingredient! Frank’s is so good and and creates awesome flavor.
What equipment do I need for this recipe?
The only equipment you'll need for this recipe is a casserole dish. A 9 x 13 dish will work great!
What is the process?
This pasta bake is so quick and easy! Here's how to make it:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the greek yogurt, ranch seasoning, hot sauce, and half of both cheeses. Mix well.
- Add the pasta and shredded chicken to the sauce mixture. Stir until chicken and paste are coated.
- Pour the pasta mixture into the casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly across the top of the pasta.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
- After cooking, top with green onions.
- Enjoy!
How do I store it?
This buffalo chicken pasta bake is so tasty right when it comes out of the oven! If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge and use between 4-5 days.
Can I reheat it?
You can reheat this pasta bake in the microwave or oven.
- For the microwave: Cook 2-3 minutes.
- For the oven: Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.
I like to add some extra cheese when I'm reheating this dish.
Looking for more recipes?
If you love buffalo chicken, try these buffalo chicken recipes:
Want the recipe?
If you try this recipe and love it, please rate it and me know your thoughts! I hope you enjoy this dinner recipe.
Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake
Equipment
- casserole dish
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole wheat penne pasta cooked
- 2 cups shredded chicken cooked
- ½ cup plain greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoon ranch seasoning mix or 1 packet of ranch seasoning mix
- ⅓ cup Frank's hot sauce
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese
For Topping
- ¼ cup green onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the greek yogurt, ranch seasoning, hot sauce, and half of both cheeses. Mix well.
- Add the pasta and shredded chicken to the sauce mixture. Stir until chicken and past are coated.
- Pour the pasta mixture into the casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly across the top of the pasta.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
- After cooking, top with green onions.
- Enjoy!
Alison says
Question - how hot is this? I love bbq sauce, but can only tolerate very mild Buffalo sauce. Could I use bbq sauce instead of hot sauce? From a flavor perspective, it seems like it would work, but not sure if I’d need to alter any of the other ingredients. Or should I use less hot sauce? Thanks!
Jordan Smith says
Hey Alison! I know a few people have made these with BBQ sauce instead of buffalo sauce! They all seemed to enjoy to really enjoy it, and I believe they used the same amount of ingredients.
Kristin says
Easiest and best recipe I’ve made in a long time. Highly recommend!!
Kelsey says
Love this recipe! So yummy and reheats great for meal prep. My husband ask for this weekly!
Katie says
Such an awesome healthier buff chicken recipe!
Katie H. says
One of my favorite recipes!!!! The ideal lunch to meal prep 🙂
Madison G says
I am obsessed with this recipe! So is my boyfriend (and he’s a picky one!). It is so easy to make, fulllll of flavor, and it makes great leftovers. Thank you Jordo!!!!
Kelly says
This is a dumb question but is it 4 cups cooked pasta or is that raw pasta?
Jordan Smith says
Cooked pasta!
April says
This is made almost weekly at my house! My husband and kids love it just as much as I do. The flavor is amazing and I love how easy it is to make!
Alyssa Hedrick says
This was SO good! This was my first time making this dish, and I’ll definitely make it again…very excited to have this in my lunch this week.
Baylee says
My new favorite recipe!!! This is definitely a meal you can eat over and over again and not get tired of it. Everyone needs to try it to understand the hype.😁
Codi says
Would this taste the same if I used spices instead of the pre mix for the ranch seasonings? Trying to get away from pre packaged spices like that 🙂
Jordan Smith says
I'm sure it would taste similar if you made your own version of ranch seasoning!
Skylar says
So so so good!!! Made this so many times and it never disappoints! It’s so easy it make with few ingredients!
Kathy says
Made this tonight for the first time and my family of five LOVED it! I needed something quick, using what ingredients I had available. It will be a regular in our dinner rotation. Thank you so much for such great recipes!
Angela Massmann says
This pasta bake has become a staple in my house! I’ve shared this recipe with a couple of others and they are just as obsessed as I am!
Tori Hays says
This is so good and super easy to make!