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!
Laura Kriska says
I make this at least once a week and my family devours it. Sometimes I make two so I can have lunch for the week too!!
Jordan Smith says
This is one of the recipes I always recommend a double batch! That ways there's lunches AND dinners, especially if multiple people are enjoying.
Jamie Simon says
One of my husbands favorite recipes! Easy and delicious.
Bonny says
Have made this so many times always a huge hit and amazing leftovers!
Stephanie says
Super easy and delicious! My new favorite!
Amanda Page says
We love this dish! It packs a lot of flavor and is super simple to put together.
Amanda says
This is my go to! So delicious and so easy to make!
Lindsey says
So easy and delicious! Love anything Buffalo and this was high protein and quick to make!!
Allison says
Such a delicious dish and so easy to make! Thank you jordo!
Danielle says
Delicious! What is 1 serving size in grams?
Jordan Smith says
Hi Danielle, the serving size in grams will vary depending on specific ingredients used and cook time. My suggestion to calculate this would be to make the recipe and then weigh it after baking. Take that number, divide it by 6, and that will give you the specific serving amount. I hope that helps!
Jessica says
What is the serving size?
Jordan Smith says
This recipe makes 6 servings, so 1 serving is about 1/6 of the casserole.
Nicole says
Yummy! Whole family loved this one!
Shree says
I’m late to the party here but just discovered this recipe and loved it. Went rogue and added some shredded carrots before baking, which held up well in the oven and added a nice crunch while boosting the nutrition. Thanks for a great recipe!
Jordan Smith says
Shree, it's never too late to join the party! So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Also, I'm intrigued by adding carrots -- I'll have to try that sometime!
Hope Gustafson says
Really easy to make & soooo yummy! Easy to freeze & re-heat, too! We thought it was a little spicy for us, so we halved the hot sauce this time & it was way better:)
Jordan Smith says
So sorry about the spice level, but I'm glad you were able to accommodate to your preference. I know some people have also made with bbq sauce so might be worth trying that as well!
Joe Peter says
This was the most nastiest version of buffalo chicken pasta I ever ate. The schools version is even better. Why in the world would you use yogurt in a buffalo chicken pasta recipe. Where did you get certified to post recipes? This should be listed as a scam website because this obviously is not a real recipe and is a troll
Kate says
So good! Easy to make and full of flavor.