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!
Stephanie says
This will 100% be a staple in my house!!! Sooo delicious and can't get any easier! Perfect macro friendly meal for meal prep! In love ❤
Lauren S says
Loved this so much! Super easy to make and I used Banza pasta to add even more protein. Will def make again and again!
Corissa says
So easy so delicious I debated making it a second week in a row for meal prep this week!!
Jackie says
Loved this recipe!!! Simple, easy and delicious ? Anything buffalo + ranch and I’m in
Jen says
This was SO YUMMY and EASY! Absolutely loved it, best new recipe I’ve tried in awhile. To pack some extra veggies in, I added cauliflower and cut the pasta amount in half. Phenomenal! This was my first jordosworld recipe and now I can’t wait to try more of her recipes!
Delaney says
SO GOOD! I made this for meal prep, and then my boyfriend came home and ate the whole pan! I make this every week and usually more than once a week LOL! Love it y’all need to try this ASAP!!!
Jessica says
I made this for the first time this week & am so glad I chose to double the recipe. It came together quick, I already had everything on hand. It was a total hit with my family & I’ve never looked so forward to leftovers!
Aurora says
Absolutely delicious
Ellen says
THIS IS SO DELICIOUS!!! We just finished a pan and can't wait to add it to our list next week. I love making it with lentil pasta to boost the protein even more, and have added a bag of chopped broccoli to boost the veggies. The sauce though is so yummy, I might start adding it to everything I make! Try this, you'll love it!
Maria says
I love how creamy & cheesy this bake is! Plus the macros are amazing! My entire family loved it, teen included! Delicious!
Jessica Little says
SO YUM! The first time I made it with cottage cheese instead of Greek yogurt. Still yum! The second time, I still used cottage cheese, and I halved the pasta and used cauliflower instead, and I doubled the chicken for more protein. SO GOOD. I’ve been recommending it everywhere.
Brianna says
This recipe was SO GOOD. My husband is a picky eater and he loved this as well. We used just leftover grilled chicken breast we had on hand and it was just as good!
Andrea says
Just made this and it was delicious! Used Banza pasta and it was so good!
Cate Trentham says
This is a new favorite for my house! Super easy to make. Healthy and delicious! We substituted Banza pasta since I’m gluten free. Will make this again very soon!!!
Lacy Corrick says
I love ALL things Buffalo and this did not disappoint!
Another recipe that was super simple and quick. I was surprised at how creamy the Greek yogurt actually was.
I will definitely make this again - it was hit!