High Protein Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
This High Protein Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese will satisfy all your comfort food cravings! Packed with 46g of protein per serving, this recipe is ultra saucy with a kick of spicy buffalo flavor. It's made with blended cottage cheese for a rich, creamy texture and a protein boost. Plus, it's gluten free and can be on the table in just 30 minutes!
Equipment
- medium bowl
- large pan
- large pot
- colander
- small blender or food processor
- spatula
- cheese grater
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 tsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into small bite-sized pieces
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the Buffalo Mac and Cheese:
- 8 oz cavatappi pasta (I prefer Banza chickpea pasta)*
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp gluten free 1-to-1 flour (or normal AP flour)
- 2 cups milk (2% or whole milk) at room temperature
- 1 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese (4oz)
- ½ cup freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese (2oz)
- 1 cup 4% cottage cheese at room temperature
- ⅓ cup buffalo wing sauce
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- kosher salt & black pepper to taste
For Topping (Optional):
- ranch dressing
- chopped green onion
Instructions
- First, add cubed chicken breast to a medium bowl and toss with all of the spices until coated. Set aside.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp cayenne, ¼ tsp black pepper
- Next, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Season heavily with kosher salt, then add in the pasta. Cook according to package directions, making sure to reserve at least ¼ cup of the water before draining.8 oz cavatappi pasta
- While the pasta is cooking, bring a large pan to medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil to coat the pan. Then, add seasoned chicken and spread out evenly in the pan so that there's no overlap. Allow it to cook, undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, then flip and continue cooking for 2 more minutes or until the internal temperatures reaches 165F. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.2 tsp olive oil
- In a small blender or food processor, add the room temperature cottage cheese, buffalo sauce and 3 tbsp of the reserved pasta water. Blend until smooth, adding a touch more reserved pasta water if it's too thick.1 cup 4% cottage cheese, ⅓ cup buffalo wing sauce
- Return the pan back to medium heat. Then, add butter and let it melt. Once melted, add in the flour and whisk constantly for about 1 minute. Slowly pour in the milk (a few tablespoons at a time), whisking well after each addition. Once all the milk has been added in, continue whisking until it starts to bubble up - about 2 more minutes.3 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp gluten free 1-to-1 flour, 2 cups milk
- Reduce heat to low. Season with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Then, add in the shredded cheeses and whisk until fully incorporated and melted.1 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp garlic powder, kosher salt & black pepper, ½ cup freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Pour in the blended buffalo cottage cheese mixture and whisk to combine. Then, add back in the cooked pasta and chicken. Stir to coat the pasta in the sauce.
- Serve with a drizzle of ranch dressing, some chopped green onion and freshly cracked black pepper. Enjoy!ranch dressing, chopped green onion
Video
Notes
*NOTE: This recipe is very saucy, so if you don't like that I'd recommend increasing the amount of pasta to 12oz. SERVING SIZE & NUTRITION INFO: This recipe makes between 4-5 servings, depending on your appetite. The nutrition info listed below is an estimate per serving, assuming 5 servings total and that you use chickpea pasta, 2% milk and 4% cottage cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 1143mg | Potassium: 520mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 886IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 370mg | Iron: 1mg