Instant Pot Buffalo chicken mac and cheese is a tasty twist on the classic dish. This kicked up mac and cheese gets an extra dose of flavor and heat from wing sauce.
Instant Pot Buffalo chicken mac and cheese is a flavorful take on the classic dish. It is the perfect marriage of cheesy mac and cheese and Buffalo wings.
This one-pot mac and cheese is so easy to make! It takes just a few minutes of prep, and it only takes 30 minutes total to make.
And the mac and cheese is so tasty! It makes a great game-day dish or a fun change of pace from the usual mac and cheese.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter: You can substitute olive oil for the butter.
- Onion: Yellow onion or white onion will work.
- Stock: Chicken broth also works. I like to use reduced sodium or no salt broth to better control the level of salt in the dish.
- Pasta: You can use a different shape of pasta. Different shapes may have slightly different cooking times.
- Wing sauce: Feel free to use mild or hot depending on your preference.
How to make Instant Pot Buffalo chicken mac and cheese
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step1: Select the Sauté. When it reads “hot”, add the butter to the pot.
Step 2: Add the chicken and onion to the pot and sauté until the chicken is browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Press cancel.
Step 4: Remove the chicken and set aside.
Step 5: Add the chicken broth to the pot, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Step 6: Add the penne pasta, and gently press into the broth.
Step 7: Add the chicken on top.
Step 8: Close and lock the lid. Press manual high pressure and adjust the cooking time to 4 minutes.
Step 9: After cooking time has ended, carefully release the pressure by turning the pressure release valve to venting.
Step 10: Open the lid and add the cream cheese and stir until completely melted.
Step 11: Add the mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, and stir until melted.
Step 12: Stir in the buffalo wing sauce to combine.
Step 13: Let the pasta sit in the pot until the sauce is thickened, about 3-4 minutes, before serving.
Step 14: Garnish servings with crumbled blue cheese to taste.
Serving suggestions
This mac and cheese is pretty rich, so it goes well with a fresh and light side like a green salad. Sauteed greens or fresh veggies like carrots and celery go well with the mac and cheese.
Storage
Store any leftover Buffalo chicken mac and cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored in the fridge.
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast cut in bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 ½ cups chicken stock
- 16 ounce package penne pasta
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 ounces cream cheese cubed
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ⅓ cup Buffalo wing sauce
- Crumbled blue cheese to taste
Instructions
- Select the Sauté.
- When it reads “hot”, add the butter to the pot.
- Add the chicken and onion to the pot and sauté until the chicken is browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Press cancel.
- Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Add the chicken broth to the pot, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the penne pasta, and gently press into the broth.
- Add the chicken on top.
- Close and lock the lid.
- Press manual high pressure and adjust the cooking time to 4 minutes.
- After cooking time has ended, carefully release the pressure by turning the pressure release valve to venting.
- Open the lid and add the cream cheese and stir until completely melted.
- Add the mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, and stir until melted.
- Stir in the buffalo wing sauce to combine.
- Let the pasta sit in the pot until the sauce is thickened, about 3-4 minutes, before serving.
- Garnish servings with crumbled blue cheese to taste.
Notes
- Butter: You can substitute olive oil for the butter.
- Onion: Yellow onion or white onion will work.
- Stock: Chicken broth also works. I like to use reduced sodium or no salt broth to better control the level of salt in the dish.
- Pasta: You can use a different shape of pasta. Different shapes may have slightly different cooking times.
- Wing sauce: Feel free to use mild or hot depending on your preference.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are provided as an estimation only.
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