Buffalo Chicken Baked Pasta

Recipe from: How Sweet It Is

Ingredients:

1 pound pasta (I used orecchiette)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into chunks (I used our left over shredded buffalo chicken from here)

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1 1/2 cups milk

4 ounces freshly grated monterey jack cheese

1/3 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese + more for topping

1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot)

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

for garnish: 3/4 cup chopped green onions, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, 1/2 cup gorgonzola cheese, additional buffalo wing sauce

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2.  Prepare water for pasta and cook according to directions.

3.  While pasta is cooking, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter, and once it’s melted and bubbly add the flour. Whisk together to create a roux and cook for 1-2 minutes until mixture gets a bit golden in color. Add milk, stir and turn down heat to low. Continue stirring until milk thickens. Add in grated cheeses and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in buffalo wing sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

4.  Spray a baking dish (9 x 13 is fine, I used a round 4-inch deep dish) with non-stick spray. Add pasta and chicken, then pour cheese sauce over and mix throughly until everything is coated. Sprinkle with additional grated cheese and bread crumbs. Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately top with gorgonzola, green onions and cilantro. Drizzle with buffalo wing sauce.