Buffalo Chicken Pasta with Blue Cheese

Penne pasta is given a creamy Buffalo chicken and blue cheese twist in this easy, family-friendly dish.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 45 mins
• Calories: 589 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound penne pasta
• ½ cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup grated Cheddar cheese
• ½ stick butter, melted
• 1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and chopped
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 6 ounces hot sauce
• 1 (10 ounce) package sliced baby bella mushrooms

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine chicken, hot sauce, and melted butter in a bowl and marinate for 2 hours.

Step 2

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute mushrooms, onion, and garlic in the pan until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in balsamic. Set aside.

Step 3

Heat another skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in Buffalo sauce marinade and chicken; saute until no longer pink in the centers, 5 to 7 minutes.

Step 4

Meanwhile, place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add asparagus, cover, and steam until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water to shock so they stay nice and green.

Step 5

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain; reserving 1 ladleful of pasta water. Stir Buffalo chicken mixture, asparagus, and reserved pasta water into pasta. Add ricotta cheese, Gorgonzola cheese, and Cheddar cheese.

Step 6

Heat pasta mixture over low heat until all cheese is melted and looks like a cream sauce, 3 to 5 minutes. Toss in parsley, salt, and pepper and serve.