Imagine tender Buffalo chicken wings dipped in ranch dressing and tossed in pasta — minus the bones and plus a whole lot of gooey cheese, of course — and that’s essentially what we’ve got here. The Buffalo hot sauce and ranch cut through the rich cheese sauce, giving it some spicy sweet depth and that same mouthwatering goodness that makes you want to eat a million wings. It’s heaven on the tender chicken and chewy pasta, and every bite leads to another and another ...

It also has three of our favorite qualities in a comfort food: It comes together in a half hour, and it uses just two pans. Plus, you can pick up a rotisserie chicken in the Gelson’s Kitchen, which means you can make this dish last-minute style, whenever the mood catches you. Unabashedly comforting, fast, easy, and convenient, with minimal cleanup — what else could you want? Oh yeah, we forgot to mention that our kids adore it, so it’s a perfect family meal.

Our tip: Make this with a fresh, green salad full of crunchy veggies. It’ll square out the meal and save you from a carb coma. It may also assure that you end up with some leftovers, which would be a boon. Buffalo chicken pasta is great reheated, and will make a fine lunch or two!

Servings: 4

Ingredients

10 oz pasta, cooked and drained
2 Tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
6 oz cream cheese, cut into chunks and softened
¼ cup hot sauce
1 Tbsp dry ranch seasoning
2 cups Gelson’s rotisserie chicken
¼ cup freshly chopped chives
1 cup shredded white cheddar

Directions

Preheat the oven 350º.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, until it’s al dente, and then set it aside.

In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until it’s fragrant. Add the flour, whisking to combine. Cook for 1 minute.

Slowly add the milk in a few additions, whisking each until it’s smooth. Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the cream cheese and stir until melted and smooth.

Add the hot sauce and ranch seasoning and stir until combined.

Add the cooked pasta, chicken and chives. Stir until pasta is completely coated.

Top with cheddar cheese and broil for 2 minutes or until the cheese is golden and crispy.

Garnish with chives and serve.