Dinner bake buffalo cheesy weeknight comfort-food

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake with Blue Cheese and Celery Crunch

Name: Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake with Blue Cheese and Celery Crunch
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12 oz Dry penne pasta; 3 cups Cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie or leftover); 0.75 cup Buffalo hot sauce; 4 oz Cream cheese, softened; 4 tbsp Unsalted butter; 1.5 cups Sharp cheddar, shredded; 1 cup Blue cheese crumbles; 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs; 1 cup Celery, finely diced (for crunch)

A crowd-pleasing baked pasta that layers tangy buffalo-spiced chicken with melty cheddar and sharp blue cheese, finished with a crisp celery crunch. It sits between a hearty casserole and a composed salad, making it perfect for weeknight dinners or game-day sharing.

0.0(0 reviews)

Prep: 25m · Cook: 25m · Total50 mins

DifficultyMedium

Serves6

AuthorJake

Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake with Blue Cheese and Celery Crunch

This Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake is the bridge between a saucy casserole and a composed comfort-food salad: tender penne wrapped in tangy buffalo cream, pockets of sharp blue cheese, and a golden, buttery panko cap that gives a welcome crunch. The interplay here is deliberate — the cream cheese tames the vinegar-forward hot sauce so the heat sings instead of bites, while cheddar provides milky melt and blue cheese pops up in creamy, salty islands. Finely diced celery scattered on top at the end preserves a bright, watery crunch that keeps the dish from feeling one-note.

What makes this version work is balancing textures and tempering intensity. Using shredded rotisserie or leftover chicken saves time and adds savory depth, while reserving a little pasta water helps you coax the sauce to just the right clinginess. It’s sturdy enough to feed a crowd at game day yet approachable for a weeknight family meal, and it scales well — double the pan, swap proteins, or bake it forward for a potluck. Serve it when you want something familiar with an edge: indulgent, but smartly built so each bite has tang, cream, melt and snap.

Plan your timing

Enter your target meal time:

6:05 pm–6:15 pm→Cook the pasta

6:15 pm–6:25 pm→Make the buffalo cream sauce with chicken

6:25 pm–6:35 pm→Combine pasta, cheeses and topping

6:35 pm–6:45 pm→Bake until bubbly

6:45 pm–6:55 pm→Finish with celery and serve

Ingredients

Yield

Instructions

Cook the pasta

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the penne until just al dente according to package directions, about 1–2 minutes shy of the indicated time. Drain well and set aside, reserving 1/4 cup (60 ml) of pasta water in case you need to loosen the sauce later.

For this step

12 ozDry penne pasta

Make the buffalo cream sauce with chicken

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter and add the cream cheese and buffalo sauce, stirring until smooth and slightly glossy. Add the shredded cooked chicken and toss until every piece is coated and heated through; if the mixture feels too thick, stir in a tablespoon or two of reserved pasta water to reach a saucy consistency. Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt and black pepper if desired.

For this step

3 cupsCooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie or leftover)
0.75 cupBuffalo hot sauce
4 ozCream cheese, softened
4 tbspUnsalted butter

Make the buffalo cream sauce with chicken

Combine pasta, cheeses and topping

Return the drained pasta to the pot or a large bowl and fold in the buffalo chicken mixture until evenly distributed. Stir in the shredded cheddar and about two-thirds of the blue cheese crumbles so some pockets of tang remain. Transfer everything to a lightly greased 9x13-inch (or equivalent) baking dish, then toss the panko with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and sprinkle evenly over the top.

For this step

1.5 cupsSharp cheddar, shredded
1 cupBlue cheese crumbles
1 cupPanko breadcrumbs

Bake until bubbly

Bake the assembled dish in the preheated oven for 18–22 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the panko is golden brown. If you like a deeper crust, broil on high for 1–2 minutes—watch carefully to prevent burning. Remove from the oven and let rest for 4–5 minutes to set.

Finish with celery and serve

Scatter the diced celery and the remaining blue cheese crumbles over the warm bake just before serving so the celery retains its crispness. Cut into portions (about 1 1/2 cups per serving) and serve warm, with extra hot sauce on the side if desired.

For this step

1 cupCelery, finely diced (for crunch)

Tips from the kitchen

Use warm shredded chicken

Tossing still-warm rotisserie chicken into the sauce helps it absorb buffalo flavor faster and prevents the bake from cooling down too much before it hits the oven.

Undercook the pasta

Boil the penne 1–2 minutes shy of al dente so it finishes cooking in the oven without swelling and turning mushy.

Save pasta water

Stir in a tablespoon or two of reserved pasta water if the buffalo-cream mixture seems too thick; the starches help the sauce coat pasta evenly.

Toast panko with butter

Tossing panko with melted butter before sprinkling creates a crisp, evenly browned crust — skip this and the topping can remain pale and soft.

Add celery last

Scatter the diced celery and remaining blue cheese after baking so the celery keeps its crunch and blue cheese doesn’t completely melt away.

Variations & substitutions

Milder buffalo version

Swap half the buffalo sauce for Frank's milder wing sauce or a sweet-hot sauce, and reduce blue cheese to temper tang while keeping cheddar for richness.

Spicy BBQ twist

Replace buffalo sauce with equal parts smoky barbecue sauce plus a splash of hot sauce for a sweet-smoky profile, and omit blue cheese for a more classic BBQ flavor.

Vegetarian swap

Use roasted cauliflower or shredded jackfruit in place of chicken and add a tablespoon of soy sauce or miso to deepen umami; the rest of the assembly remains the same.

Gluten-free option

Use certified gluten-free penne and swap panko for gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes to keep the crunchy topping intact.

Storage & make-ahead

Cool the bake completely before refrigerating in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days; the panko topping will soften over time. To reheat, warm individual portions covered in a microwave until hot, then crisp the top under a hot broiler for 1–2 minutes, or reheat in a 350°F oven until bubbling. You can freeze the assembled (unbaked) casserole for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before baking and add a few extra minutes to the bake time.

What to serve with it

Serve with a simple green salad dressed in a lemony vinaigrette to lift the richness, or offer crisp carrot and cucumber sticks for a play on traditional wings. For drinks, an ice-cold lager or a citrus-forward IPA cuts through the creaminess, while a Sauvignon Blanc works nicely for wine drinkers. Provide extra blue cheese and hot sauce at the table so guests can customize heat and tang.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use raw chicken instead of cooked?

Yes, but shred or dice the chicken and sauté it first until fully cooked, then toss with the buffalo cream sauce before combining with pasta; raw chicken will release moisture and change bake time if added uncooked.

How can I make this less spicy for kids?

Reduce the buffalo sauce by half and add a tablespoon of honey or maple syrup to balance acidity, or substitute half the buffalo with a mild wing sauce; keep the blue cheese optional to avoid intimidating younger palates.

Is there a way to keep the panko topping extra crunchy?

Toast the buttered panko in a skillet for 3–4 minutes before topping the dish, and wait to apply it until the last 10–12 minutes of baking if you want even more contrast.

Can I omit the blue cheese?

Absolutely — swap blue cheese for more sharp cheddar or a crumbly smoked goat cheese for tang without the assertive funk, though the original bright blue notes will be missing.

Will this freeze well after baking?

You can freeze leftovers, but expect textural changes: celery will lose its crunch and the topping may soften; reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven until hot and then broil briefly to refresh the crust.

How do I adjust salt since cheeses vary?

Taste the buffalo-cream mixture before combining with pasta and add salt sparingly; many blue cheeses and pre-shredded cheddars contain enough salt, and it's easier to add a pinch later than to fix over-salted bake.

About the author

Jake

Hello, I'm Jake. I started this recipe site with the idea that I hated recipe websites that overwhelm you with long stories and ads just to see plain content that's not helpful. My goal is to provide you with quality recipes, simple ideas and a fun cooking experience. There's lots of fun things to cook, and I think as you browse the site you'll find that TopShelf.Recipes is the place for quality recipes on the web.

See all recipes by Jake →

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Ingredients

6 servings

Step 1: Cook the pasta

Dry penne pasta12 oz

Step 2: Make the buffalo cream sauce with chicken

Cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie or leftover)3 cups
Buffalo hot sauce0.75 cup
Cream cheese, softened4 oz
Unsalted butter4 tbsp

Step 3: Combine pasta, cheeses and topping

Sharp cheddar, shredded1.5 cups
Blue cheese crumbles1 cup
Panko breadcrumbs1 cup

Step 5: Finish with celery and serve

Celery, finely diced (for crunch)1 cup

Nutrition Facts

Per serving: about 2½ cups

Calories897

Total Fat58.3g

Saturated Fat25.9g

Trans Fat0.8g

Polyunsaturated Fat14.1g

Monounsaturated Fat8.7g

Total Carbohydrates58.3g

Dietary Fiber2.7g

Total Sugars3.3g

Protein34.2g

Nutrition values are estimated from USDA ingredient data and may vary based on preparation, brands, and portion sizes. Values are provided for informational purposes only.

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