If you love buffalo chicken and mac and cheese, this High Protein Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese is the best of both worlds. It’s creamy, cheesy, a little spicy, and packed with protein thanks to chicken, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and high-protein pasta.
This is one of those dinners that feels like comfort food but is easy enough to make on a busy weeknight. And the best part? You don’t need to make a complicated cheese sauce. The cottage cheese and Greek yogurt blend right into the sauce for a creamy, protein-packed mac and cheese that the whole family can enjoy.
With over 30 grams of protein per serving (depending on the specific pasta and chicken used), this is an easy high-protein dinner to add to your weekly rotation.
Why You’ll Love This Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
- High in protein thanks to chicken, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and high-protein pasta
- Creamy and cheesy without needing heavy cream
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- Perfect for meal prep and leftovers
- Easy to customize depending on how spicy you like your buffalo chicken
- A fun way to turn classic buffalo chicken into a cozy pasta dinner
Ingredients You'll Need
Chicken
I use 1.25 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded in my KitchenAid stand mixer. This is a great way to use leftover chicken, too. Rotisserie chicken can also work if you want to save a little time.
High-Protein Pasta
Use your favorite high-protein pasta. Different brands have different amounts of protein, so the nutrition information will vary depending on which pasta you choose. I used Brami Curly Mac.
Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is the secret to the creamy, protein-rich sauce. Blend it completely smooth with the other sauce ingredients so you don’t have any cottage cheese texture in the finished dish.
Greek Yogurt
Plain Greek yogurt adds creaminess and a little tang that works really well with the buffalo sauce.
Buffalo Sauce
Start with ¼ cup buffalo sauce and add more to taste. If you love spicy buffalo chicken, you can definitely add more! My 6-year-old doesn’t like spicy things, so 1/4 cup is perfect for our family.
Cheese
Cheddar and Parmesan give this mac and cheese plenty of cheesy flavor. I like using sharp cheddar because you get a lot of flavor without needing a huge amount of cheese.
Seasonings
You’ll need garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
FAQs
How much protein is in buffalo chicken mac and cheese?
The exact amount of protein will depend on the high-protein pasta, chicken, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and cheese brands you use. This recipe provides 30+ grams of protein per serving when divided into six servings, depending on the ingredients used.
Can I make this with regular pasta?
Yes! You can substitute regular pasta for high-protein pasta if that’s what you have on hand. The recipe will still be creamy and delicious, but the protein content will be lower.
Can I use low-fat cottage cheese?
Yes. Low-fat or reduced-fat cottage cheese can be used in this recipe. I recommend blending it until completely smooth for the creamiest sauce.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes! Simply use your favorite gluten-free high-protein pasta and make sure your buffalo sauce and other ingredients are certified gluten-free if necessary.
Is buffalo chicken mac and cheese good for meal prep?
Yes! It makes a great meal-prep dinner because it reheats easily and the leftovers are just as delicious the next day.
Tips for Making the Best High Protein Mac and Cheese
Blend the cottage cheese until completely smooth. This is key to getting a creamy sauce without a cottage cheese texture.
Don’t skip the sharp cheddar. Sharp cheddar adds a lot of cheesy flavor and pairs really well with the buffalo sauce.
Adjust the buffalo sauce to your taste. Start with less and add more. It’s much easier to increase the heat than decrease it!
Don’t overcook the pasta. Since the pasta goes into the oven after cooking, I recommend following the package directions and avoiding overcooking it.
Use leftover chicken to make this even easier. If you already have cooked chicken in the fridge, this dinner comes together very quickly.
If you make this dinner, I’d love for you to tag @healthyholme in your Instagram stories!
High-Protein Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- 1.25 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
- 8.8 oz high-protein pasta
- 1 cup lowfat cottage cheese
- ½ cup lowfat plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup buffalo sauce plus more to taste
- ½ cup milk almond or cow
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x11-inch baking dish.
- Cook pasta according to the shortest time on the package directions.
- While pasta cooks, blend cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and ¼ cup buffalo sauce until completely smooth.
- Add shredded chicken, cooked pasta, and sauce to the prepared baking dish. Stir to combine.
- Stir in 1 cup cheddar cheese and Parmesan.
- Add additional buffalo sauce to taste.
- Top with remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the dish is heated through.
- Serve warm with extra buffalo sauce if desired.
