Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
Meet the cheesiest Baked Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese you’ve ever seen! As you may or may not know, I like to consider myself a Mac & Cheese connoisseur. While I am normally not a fan of buffalo sauce, this mac and cheese is seriously good! Made extra easy with the help of premade frozen gluten-free chicken nuggets because we are trying to get this dish made quickly so we can devour it!
Servings : about 4-6
Prep Time : 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
12 oz gluten-free pasta of choice
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup 1:1 gluten-free flour
3 cups half and half, room temperature
2 egg yolks, room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
1/4 cup buffalo sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
a pinch of nutmeg
8 oz gruyère cheese, freshly shredded
8 oz white cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
grated parmigiano-reggiano for topping, optional
buttermilk ranch dressing for serving, optional
For the Buffalo Chicken
10 oz gluten-free frozen chicken nuggets or tenders, See Recipe Notes
1/3 cup buffalo sauce
Directions
For the Buffalo Chicken
Cook the frozen nuggets according to package instructions. Once cooked let them cool slightly before chopping them up into smaller pieces.
In a medium sized bowl toss the chopped chicken nuggets with the buffalo sauce until fully coated. Set them aside for later.
For the Mac & Cheese
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare your pasta according to package instructions, removing from heat and draining slightly before it reaches al dente. Set the pasta aside while you prepare the roux for the cheese sauce.
In a large deep skillet or dutch oven over medium heat, melt the 1/4 cup of butter. Once melted whisk in the flour and let that cook for 2-3 minutes. The mixture should look like wet sand.
Gradually begin pouring in the half and half a little at a time, whisking constantly to smooth out any lumps of flour. Once all the half and half has been added, continue to whisk until it begins to thicken slightly. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but not so thick that it becomes heavy and gloopy.
In a small bowl or ramekin, whisk together the egg yolks. Temper the eggs into the roux by adding a small spoonful of the warm roux into the bowl with the egg yolks. Stir together until combine then pour the egg mixture into the pot with rest of the roux. Whisk continuously for a couple minutes so the eggs do not scramble.
Once the sauce is done remove it from the heat and whisk in the sour cream, buffalo sauce and the spices until fully combined. Reserve about one cup of shredded cheese for topping, then fold in the shredded cheeses one handful at a time until all the cheese has melted into the sauce and the sauce has a smooth consistency.
Add in your pasta and gently mix to combine until all the pasta is fully mixed into the cheese sauce. Transfer the mac and cheese into an oven safe baking dish. Top with the buffalo chicken pieces and the reserved cup of shredded cheese.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling. For an extra crispy top, broil for a few minutes at the end of the bake time. Remove the mac and cheese from the oven and allow it cool slightly before topping with grated parmesan and a drizzle of buttermilk ranch. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
I used Caulipower brand frozen chicken nuggets but you can use any you prefer!
