Buffalo Chicken with Creamy Blue Cheese Penne
Spicy Buffalo Chicken Penne with Cooling Blue Cheese Sauce
Ingredients:
1 pound penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup hot sauce (such as Frank's RedHot)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup crumbled blue cheese, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
2 tablespoons cold water (if using cornstarch)
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup chopped green onions
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then add to the skillet. Cook for 5-7 minutes until chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the same skillet. Once melted, add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Pour in the hot sauce and stir to combine with the butter and garlic. Let simmer for 1 minute.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Slowly stir in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the sour cream and 3/4 cup of the crumbled blue cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese begins to melt and the sauce starts to thicken, about 2-3 minutes.
If you prefer a thicker sauce, mix cornstarch with cold water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Add the slurry to the sauce, stirring constantly until it thickens.
Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and add the diced celery. Stir to coat the chicken with the sauce and cook for 2 minutes to heat through.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss until all the pasta is coated with the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of pasta water to thin it out.
Stir in most of the green onions, reserving some for garnish.
Serve immediately, garnished with remaining blue cheese crumbles, reserved green onions, and fresh parsley.
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes
Kcal: 650 kcal | Servings: 6 servings