This buffalo chicken crockpot pasta doesn’t skimp on flavor, can be made in just one pan (a crockpot!), and is healthier than your average pasta. It’s only 6-ingredients and so simple to make! This is one of my favorite crockpot recipes of all time because it’s delicious and perfect for a low-maintenance meal.
This recipe uses cottage cheese to make a creamy, decadent sauce that is also high in protein (you won’t be able to taste it). It’s a super filling and well-balanced meal that is ideal for a busy mom looking for an easy, delicious crockpot meal. Also, it’s good enough to feed a crowd.
I love this dish because it combines comfort with nutrition. It has all the flavor and creaminess of a rich, decadent pasta – but it is super high in protein, iron and calcium.
Reasons You’ll Want to Make This BUffalo Chicken Pasta
- First off, the taste! If you love a creamy pasta with the flavor of buffalo chicken, you’ll really enjoy this pasta.
- It’s so easy. Minimal prep, and just throw it in the crockpot, need I say more? I even cooked the noodles in there (see directions on how to do this below).
- Healthy and nutritious. Not only is this meal really high in protein, the cottage cheese and shredded cheese are excellent sources of calcium.
- The 48 grams of protein per serving will keep you full and satisfied.
Ingredients
Chicken Breast (1 lb.)
You’ll need about one pound of chicken breast for this recipe. If using Barilla Protein+ pasta noodles, you could even opt for less chicken and it would still be high in protein.
Low-Fat, Small Curd Cottage Cheese (1 1/2 Cups)
I find that using low-fat, small curd cottage cheese works just fine but feel free to use a higher fat cottage cheese for more creaminess. If you’re skeptical, I promise you won’t be able to tell it’s cottage cheese.
If your local grocery store has whipped cottage cheese I would recommend this option, as it will eliminate the use of a blender. Greek yogurt would work well as a high-protein substitute.
Pro-Tip: I always just whip a carton of cottage cheese all at once and pour it back into the carton to keep in the fridge for future dishes.
Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce (3/4 Cup)
Just a 3/4 cup of buffalo sauce adds just enough heat to this dish. However, this is where you could get creative and use whatever hot sauce you prefer (and however much you like based on your preferences).
Barilla Protein+ Rotini Pasta (14 oz. Box)
I love using Barilla Protein+ because of its’ higher protein content, and tastes just the same as regular pasta. However, use whatever kind of noodle you have on hand because even without the protein+ pasta this recipe has an adequate protein content for a satisfying meal.
Red Bell Pepper (2 Whole Peppers, Diced)
Two chopped red bell peppers make this pasta even more nutritious. They add some color, and complement the dish well.
Feel free to omit this ingredient, and serve the pasta with a side of veggies of your choice.
Shredded Cheese (1/2 Cup)
I used only about a 1/2 cup of a mixed blend shredded cheese, and found this to be enough since the pasta is already so creamy. It also decreases the spiciness of this dish just a bit.
Bleu cheese could be a fun addition here, if you like that flavor profile!
Celery
I recently started adding diced celery to this dish, which adds a nice crunch! It’s a game-changer!
Green Onions, For Garnish (optional).
Nutritional Information
Since I am a dietitian and all, I have to discuss the nutritional information for this dish. Using an entire box of pasta, this recipe can feed six people (with pretty large bowls of pasta).
Each serving is about 550 calories, and 44 grams of protein! That is a lot of protein for one meal, and will likely keep you full for the rest of the night. It’s also high in iron and calcium.
If you’re looking to make this recipe less calories, use a half or 3/4 box of pasta. You could also use less chicken.
For vegetarians or those looking to eat less meat, this sauce could be used on the Barilla Protein+ noodles and the chicken could be eliminated entirely (and it would still provide a lot of protein).
Buffalo Chicken Crockpot Pasta Instructions
Sure, the celery might not look that appetizing in pictures but trust me – this pasta is THE BEST and so simple.
1. Prep Ingredients and Equipment
For this recipe, you’ll need a crockpot, blender (unless your cottage cheese is already whipped), and an electric hand mixer unless you are using two forks to shred the chicken.
Dice red peppers into bite-sized pieces, and chop green onions. Set aside.
2. Season Chicken in Crockpot
Lay your chicken breasts in the crockpot, and season with garlic powder, salt and pepper.
3. Make the Creamy Buffalo Sauce
Whip about 1 1/2 cups of cottage cheese and 3/4 cup of Buffalo sauce of your choice in a blender. If using already whipped cottage cheese, add the ingredients to a bowl and mix together.
4. Pour Red Peppers, Diced Celery and Cream Sauce Into Crockpot
Put the chicken in the crockpot with the red peppers and celery, then pour the creamy sauce over the top. You can also add the celery in with the noodles if you prefer more crunch!
Cook on low for at least 4 hours, or until the chicken can be easily shredded with a mixer or fork. I do not recommend cooking this recipe on high as cottage cheese can curdle at high temperatures.
5. Shred the Chicken
After cooking on low for at least 4 hours, shred the chicken with a hand mixer or two forks.
6. Add the Pasta
Add the noodles to the crockpot, and cook on low for 30 minutes or high for 15 minutes. Do not cook on high any longer than this- as the cottage cheese could curdle.
I like to cook the noodles on low for 15-minutes, check on them – add additional hot sauce (or chicken broth for moisture) and seasonings as needed – then cook for another 15-minutes. Another option is to cook the noodles separately, add combine them with the shredded chicken and sauce.
7. Taste and Garnish
If the dish seems too dry, add a bit more water or chicken broth. Stir in the shredded cheese and combine so everything is saucy and cheesy! Plate into bowls, garnish with the green onions, and enjoy! It’s that simple!
Recipe Tips
- Cook on low to ensure the cottage cheese doesn’t curdle.
- Use Greek yogurt for an easy substitute that’s also high in protein and calcium.
- Add a little water or chicken broth to thin out the sauce, if you think it’s too thick. Add even more cheese to thicken it up.
- Omit the chicken for an easy, high protein vegetarian meal.
Buffalo Chicken Crockpot Pasta {with Cottage Cheese}
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken breast
- 3/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Sauce, or any buffalo sauce
- 1 1/2 cups lower sodium cottage cheese
- 2 red bell peppers, diced
- 2-3 celery stalks, diced small
- 1 lb. Barilla Protein Plus rotini noodles
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese
- 1 bunch of green onions, diced (optional)
- Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
Instructions
- Assemble ingredients and equipment. Dice red bell peppers. Chop green onions and set aside.
- Place chicken breast into crockpot and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Pour cottage cheese and buffalo sauce into a blender, blend until smooth.
- Cover the chicken with the red peppers, diced celery, then pour over the sauce. Cook on low for 4 hours or until the chicken can be easily shredded. Use a hand mixer or two forks to shred the chicken. You can also add in the celery with the noodles if you prefer more crunch!
- After the chicken is shredded, add the box of pasta. Give it a stir.Cover the crockpot and cook on low for another 30 minutes, or on high for 15 minutes. Check the pasta halfway through and taste. Add chicken broth or more hot sauce and seasonings if needed.
- Once the pasta has cooked, turn the crockpot to warm. Stir in the cheese and combine- making sure all the sauce on the bottom gets mixed in. Add more liquid (water or chicken broth) if it seems too dry for your preference. Portion into a bowl, and garnish with green onions.
Notes
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 6 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 562 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 9.3g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat 2.1g | 10% |
| Cholesterol 21mg | 7% |
| Sodium 1304mg | 57% |
| Total Carbohydrate 97.8g | 36% |
| Dietary Fiber 10.4g | 37% |
| Total Sugars 7.1g | |
| Protein 48.1g | |
| Vitamin D 1mcg | 5% |
| Calcium 131mg | 10% |
| Iron 5mg | 27% |
| Potassium 169mg | 4% |
An Easy, Simple and Well-Balanced Meal
This buffalo chicken crockpot pasta recipe ticks a lot of boxes for me. It’s filling, packed with protein, and best of all – super easy!
I love a good cottage cheese swap, like this butternut squash cottage cheese pasta recipe.
If you tried this recipe, let me know what you think!
Wow! Who would’ve thought this would be so good (and so easy). My husband loved it too.
The recipe card does not include shredded cheese. How did you get 399mg of sodium per serving? The buffalo sauce alone has 5,520mg. When I used a recipe builder I got 1,243.9mg per serving.
Thank you for pointing this out! You are correct, I am not sure what happened there. I didn’t notice the sodium was that low! I just corrected it with a new estimation that better reflects the nutritional value.