15 Minute Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese (Instant Pot)
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If you love Buffalo Chicken and mac and cheese, combining these two classics is the ultimate in deliciousness. When you add that familiar flavor of tangy, spicy chicken and toss it with gooey mac and cheese, it’s heavenly. When it can be made in 15 minutes, it’s a really good day!
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Recipe Overview
What to Love: This easy Instant Pot pasta combines two classics: mac and cheese and Buffalo chicken. And, it’s ready in minutes!
Recipe Time: 5-10 minutes to prep, 5 minutes to cook (plus time to come to pressure).
What You Need: A 6-quart Instant Pot or Multi-cooker.
Servings: 6-8 servings
Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made Instant Pot mac and cheese for family, for family gatherings, for my son’s friends, for basketball teams, for backyard picnics, or just when we’re craving cozy comfort and don’t want it to take all night.
And then, there is buffalo chicken. It’s an absolute must for the Super Bowl but also wonderful for tailgating, football watching, or anytime throughout the year. That familiar and tantalizing flavor of Buffalo Chicken wings is iconic and delicious!
Imagine, then, the magic that happens when you combine the two into one, creamy, cheesey, delicious meal. It’s well, incredible... I think you just have to try it to believe me.
Ready in minutes, honestly, minutes!
Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese Ingredients:
While you will find the ingredient measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, here is what you need to make this incredible mac and cheese!
- Boneless, skinless chicken: I prefer chicken breasts but chicken thighs are also delicious. You will need them cut into 1-inch pieces, and here is a hint: often, when I ask really nicely, the market butcher will cut them for me. It saves a bunch of time, and their knives are often sharper than mine!
- Olive oil for browning the chicken pieces.
- Spices: Salt and pepper to taste, but also garlic powder, onion powder, and ground mustard bring all of the flavors together.
- Dry macaroni: I often use classic macaroni, but medium or small shells are nice too.
- Buffalo Hot Sauce: This is where you can completely customize this dish and make it spicier or more mild. I am currently loving the Whole Foods 365 medium buffalo wing sauce. It isn’t super spicy but has a delicious flavor. But Frank’s Hot Sauce is classic and iconic… and delicious too!
- Shredded Cheese: I like a combination of shredded mozzarella cheese and sharp cheddar cheese for this dish.
- Sour cream and butter for the ultimate creaminess.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Turn the Instant Pot to saute. While it’s heating, toss cut-up chicken with salt, pepper to taste, garlic and onion powder, and ground mustard. Then add 1 olive oil to the hot Instant Pot.
Step 1: Brown the chicken with saute function
Add seasoned chicken and saute until slightly browned and no longer pink but not cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Cancel the saute function and scrape up any stuck-on bits.
Step 2: Add pasta, water, and cook
Add uncooked pasta to the insert along with 4 cups of water. Close the lid and turn the release valve to seal. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. When it beeps, quickly release the pressure.
Step 3: Add sauce and cheese; stir until melted
Carefully open the lid and set aside. Turn the Instant Pot to saute, and add the butter, shredded cheese, milk, sour cream, and buffalo sauce. Stir from the bottom up to coat the pasta with the sauce. Continue stirring until the cheese is melted.
The pasta will continue to absorb the cheese sauce as it sits. But if you want the mac and cheese to be more creamy, you can stir in a bit more milk to your preference.
How to Serve Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Season to taste and serve warm with fresh chopped herbs (like parsley) if desired, and for more heat, a sprinkling of red pepper flakes is also good.
More Buffalo Chicken Recipes
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sliders
- Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken Nachos
- Super Quick Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Wings
Instant Pot Recipes that are Quick & Easy
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10 Minute Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese (Instant Pot or Multi-Cooker)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 lb dry macaroni elbow macaroni, shells
- 4 cups water
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups milk dairy or non-dairy
- 1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup buffalo hot sauce
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to saute. While it's heating, toss cut-up chicken with salt, pepper to taste, garlic and onion powder, and ground mustard. Then add 1 olive oil to the hot Instant Pot.
- Add seasoned chicken and saute until slightly browned and no longer pink, but not cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Cancel the saute function and scrape up any stuck-on bits.
- Add uncooked pasta to the insert along with 4 cups of water. Close the lid and turn the release valve to seal. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. When it beeps, quick release the pressure.
- Carefully open the lid and set aside. Turn the Instant Pot to saute, and add the butter, shredded cheese, milk, sour cream, and buffalo sauce. Stir from the bottom up to coat the pasta with the sauce. Continue stirring until the cheese is melted. If you want the mac and cheese to be more creamy, you can stir in a bit more milk.
- Season to taste and serve warm with fresh chopped herbs (like parsley) if desired, and for more heat, a sprinkling of red pepper flakes is also good.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
