Buffalo Chicken Pasta
The ultimate comfort food, Buffalo Chicken Pasta combines creamy, spicy flavors with tender chicken and hearty pasta. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or a gathering, this dish is sure to satisfy your cravings. Make it tonight for a delicious meal!
Equipment
- Grater
- Chef's Knife
- Large Pot
- Wooden Spoon
- Skillet
- Saucepan
- Peeler
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 1 lb fettuccine noodles
- 4 tbsp butter, divided
- 1 tbsp olive oil or canola oil
- 12 oz skinless and boneless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, diced
- 4 cloves garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 medium celery rib, diced
- 1.5 cups chicken stock
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 5 tbsp Frank's RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce, or to taste
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- to taste chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook fettuccine noodles according to package directions, reserving ½ cup pasta water, drain, and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Season the chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper. Cook the chicken breasts for 7 minutes, turn, and cook for another 5-7 minutes or until the chicken is browned and their juices run clear. Remove the chicken from the skillet, cover with foil, and set aside to rest.
- In the same skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the leeks and cook for about 3 minutes or until they soften. Add the garlic, carrots, and celery. Season with the remaining kosher salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the chicken stock, then bring the sauce to a boil while scraping the cooked flavor bits from the skillet. Reduce the heat to a rolling simmer and cook until the stock is reduced by half, leaving about 1 cup. Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Stir in the buffalo sauce and Parmesan cheese, then cook for another minute. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until it melts and the sauce is glossy.
- While the sauce cooks, slice or shred the chicken into thin strips. Add the chicken and fettuccine noodles to the sauce and toss to coat. Cook for another 1-2 minutes and season with more salt if desired. If the sauce is too thick, add the reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time until it’s the desired consistency. Garnish with parsley and serve with additional Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Try different noodles: Experiment with different types of hearty noodles such as spaghetti, rotini, rigatoni, or penne pasta.
- Cheese alternatives: Garnish the pasta with a few crumbles of blue cheese instead of Parmesan cheese. Or why not use both?
- For spicier food: If you love extra heat, add more buffalo wing sauce to taste or a few shots of Tabasco.
- Cream alternatives: Use half and half or whipping cream instead of heavy cream, or try mixing in a few tablespoons of softened cream cheese.