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A flavorful twist on classic comfort food, crock pot buffalo chicken pasta. A hassle-free, addicting dish that’s perfect for busy days.
Table of Contents
Why Make This Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Buffalo chicken has a devoted fan base for a reason. It’s bold, it’s flavorful, and it satisfies those cravings for spicy comfort food. Whether you’re serving it as a main course, in sandwiches, or as an appetizer, buffalo chicken never disappoints. Try my Buffalo Chicken Flatbread next!
This is SO easy to make. Nothing makes me happier than a slow cooker recipe that you can just dump in and let it all cook together. It’s cozy, creamy and filling.
This recipe is a little more lightened up using chicken breasts, and less cream cheese, sour cream and cheese than other recipes. Most of the flavor will be buffalo sauce forward and it’s loaded with protein from lots of chicken in each bite.
This is the best meal prepped meal, it keeps great and the flavor gets better throughout the week. Another great slow cooker recipe for meal prep is my Slow Cooker Hamburger Soup!
Ingredients Needed
Chicken Breasts. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts make the perfect juicy chicken for this recipe. Be sure to use a high quality chicken brand you enjoy.
Buffalo Sauce. This needs to be a thick buffalo sauce, not just franks hot sauce. I typically use Primal Kitchen Buffalo sauce but use any sauce you enjoy!
Pasta. Use any pasta shape you prefer. I like ziti or rigatoni. I also like bow tie pasta with this recipe.
Cheese. Use mozzarella, mexican cheese blend or colby jack. All work well with this recipe.
Seasonings. I use dried dill, basil, onion powder, salt, oregano. You can also just use a pre made ranch packet, but I prefer extra dill in mine.
Recipe Variations
Chicken Breasts. You can also use chicken thighs is you prefer. Just adjust the time slightly.
Pasta. Use gluten free pasta if needed, you can use any pasta shape of choice. You can also skip the pasta and serve this low carb over shredded cabbage or zoodles.
Sour Cream. You can sub greek yogurt (plain) for a healthier option or mayonnaise.
Steps To Make This Recipe
Step One. Set the slow cooker to high. In a small bowl, mix all the seasonings together. Set the chicken breasts on the bottom of the slow cooker, add seasoning and chopped onions.
Step Two. Add the diced tomatoes and juice over the chicken, the buffalo sauce and the cream cheese. Add sour cream last. Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 6 hours.
Step Three. Once chicken is cooked through and tender, using a fork, get the chicken out and let the excess juice drip off into the slow cooker. Place the chicken on a cutting board and cube or shred.
Step Four. Start to cook the pasta according to the pasta package. Taste the sauce, if it needs any adjustment, add it. (more salt or more seasonings)
Step Five. Add the cubed chicken back into the creamy buffalo sauce. Mix well and place lid back on until pasta is cooked al dente.
Step Six. Once pasta is cooked through, add it to the buffalo chicken mix with cheese and mix well. Serve warm and enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or you can freeze for up to 2 months!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, depending on your preference. Both cuts work well in this recipe, and the choice largely depends on your desired texture and flavor.
To reduce the spiciness, you can either use a milder buffalo sauce or adjust the amount of buffalo sauce used in the recipe. You can also serve ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing on the side to help balance the heat.
Recipe Tips
Choose the Right Pasta
- Opt for pasta shapes that hold sauce well, such as penne or rotini. Cooking the pasta separately and adding it to the sauce just before serving helps maintain its texture.
Balance the Flavors
- Taste the sauce before serving and adjust the seasoning as needed. You can add more buffalo sauce for heat, a dash of honey for sweetness, or a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness.
Get Creative with Toppings:
- Customize your buffalo chicken pasta with toppings like crumbled blue cheese, grated Parmesan, or diced green onions for added flavor and texture.
Don’t Overcook The Chicken
- The chicken can get overcooked even in a crockpot, to ensure it doesn’t overcook, stick to the timing mentioned and just check about 30 minutes prior. All slow cooker temps and sizes can vary greatly.
Other Slow Cooker & Cozy Recipes To Try
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Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Equipment
- slow cooker 6-7 quarts
- sharp knives
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breasts, boneless , *see notes
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup buffalo sauce, *see notes
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
- ½ cup cream cheese
- ¼ cup sour cream , *see notes
- ½ cup shredded cheese, *see notes, use more as needed
- 4 Tbsp green onions, chopped, for garnish
- 4-5 cup rigatoni or ziti
Instructions
- Set the slow cooker to high. In a small bowl, mix all the seasonings together. Set the chicken breasts on the bottom of the slow cooker, add seasoning and chopped onions.
- Add the diced tomatoes and juice over the chicken, the buffalo sauce and the cream cheese. Add sour cream last. Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 6 hours.
- Once chicken is cooked through and tender, using a fork, get the chicken out and let the excess juice drip off into the slow cooker. Place the chicken on a cutting board and cube or shred.
- Start to cook the pasta according to the pasta package. Taste the sauce, if it needs any adjustment, add it. (more salt or more seasonings)
- Add the cubed chicken back into the creamy buffalo sauce. Mix well and place lid back on until pasta is cooked al dente.
- Once pasta is cooked through, add it to the buffalo chicken mix with cheese and mix well. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was AMAZING!!!!
This was SO YUMMY. My boys devoured it and I can’t wait to make it again. I may need to double the batch!
This was excellent. We hardly had any leftovers I am embarrassed to admit! Couldn’t stop eating it.
Love to hear this, thank you so much for the feedback.
This was wonderful! Made it for a Super Bowl party and everyone is loving it! Great recipe thanks so much.
This was a Super Bowl favorite! I brought my crockpot to the party and everyone ate it already! Great recipe, thank you.
Hi! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know, enjoy!
Really good recipe. My kids inhaled it and they are picky eaters.
So thrilled to hear this! Thanks for the good feedback and support. Happy Cooking.
The description says you used onion powder with the spices, but I don’t see that in the ingredients list. How much onion powder? Or is it optional?
This is totally optional 🙂 The recipe calls for white onion in the mix so you can do both for a stonger taste (using 1/4 tsp of onion powder) or leave it out and just use the fresh onion.