If you’re craving comfort food but still want to hit your protein goals, this high protein buffalo chicken pasta is about to become a weekly staple. It’s creamy, bold, a little spicy, and packed with lean protein thanks to shredded chicken, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and protein pasta.
The sauce is what makes this one special. Instead of heavy cream, we blend cottage cheese and Greek yogurt with buffalo sauce and spices until it turns into a smooth, velvety orange sauce that clings to every bite of pasta. Once it warms through with the chicken and melts into the mozzarella, it becomes glossy, cheesy, and completely irresistible.
This is the kind of dinner that feels indulgent but is secretly balanced. It’s cozy enough for a Sunday night, easy enough for meal prep, and satisfying enough that you won’t even think about takeout.
Why You’ll Love This High Protein Buffalo Chicken Pasta
This recipe hits all the right notes: creamy, spicy, cheesy, and hearty. The blended cottage cheese and Greek yogurt create a rich sauce without needing heavy cream, while shredded chicken keeps it filling and protein-packed.
The buffalo flavor is bold but customizable, you can go mild or crank up the heat. A little blue cheese on top adds that classic buffalo chicken finish (highly recommend), but it’s just as delicious without it. If you prefer, a drizzle of Ranch is also delicious. This is also customizable in that you can choose your pasta – I use a protein pasta (I like this one), but if you’re gluten free, you can easily swap in your favorite GF pasta (this one and this one are both great).
It’s also perfect for:
- High-protein meal prep
- Game day comfort food
- A quick weeknight dinner
- Using up leftover rotisserie chicken
How to Make High Protein Buffalo Chicken Pasta
The key step here is blending the sauce until completely smooth. Don’t skip this. Cottage cheese transforms when blended. It becomes silky and creamy, not lumpy, so if you’re someone who doesn’t love the texture of cottage cheese, this is for you.
First, cook your pasta until al dente and reserve some pasta water before draining. That starchy water is what helps loosen and emulsify the sauce later.
Next, blend the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, buffalo sauce, and spices until you have a smooth, creamy orange sauce. It should look thick but pourable.
Warm shredded chicken in a skillet over medium-low heat, then stir in the blended sauce. Add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen it and let it gently warm through. Avoid boiling hard, as this keeps the yogurt smooth and prevents separation.
Add the drained pasta straight into the skillet and toss well. Stir in mozzarella mix to get it nice and melty. As the cheese melts and the sauce thickens, it becomes glossy and coats every piece of pasta.
Finish with a drizzle of buffalo sauce over the top and some blue cheese crumbles for extra flavor.
Tips for the Best Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- Blend longer than you think you need to. A full 30–45 seconds makes all the difference for a smooth sauce.
- Use freshly shredded mozzarella for better melting and creaminess.
- Add pasta water slowly and fully mix to incorporate before adding more. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out.
- If meal prepping, the pasta thickens as it sits. Just add a splash of milk or water when reheating to bring it back to life.
- For extra texture, top with sliced green onions, parsley, or a little extra blue cheese right before serving.
More pasta inspo
If you love pasta, I’ve got lots of delicious pasta recipes that are made better-for-you. My High Protein Mac & Cheese is a fan favorite for good reason – it’s protein-packed, no meat required. My Creamy Boursin Pasta is a super simple, minimal-ingredient meal. French Onion Pasta is indulgent and tastes restaurant-quality. Creamy Tomato Crockpot Pasta is a simple crockpot recipe that you can set and forget. If you prefer your pasta cold, give my Caprese Pasta Salad a try. Enjoy!
High Protein Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Equipment
- Blender
- Mixing Bowl
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 8 oz protein pasta such as rigatoni penne, or shells
- 2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup buffalo sauce depending on heat preference
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles optional
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- 2 tablespoons buffalo sauce for finishing
Instructions
- Cook and shred chicken however you prefer. Cook pasta in well-salted water until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- In a blender, combine cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, buffalo sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Blend for 30 to 45 seconds until completely smooth and creamy.
- In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add the shredded chicken and pour in the blended buffalo sauce. Stir gently and add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce. Let it warm through for 2 to 3 minutes without boiling.
- Add the drained pasta directly into the skillet and toss to coat. Stir in shredded mozzarella. Add additional pasta water (2 tbsp at a time) as needed until the sauce becomes glossy and creamy.
- Finish with a drizzle of buffalo sauce and blue cheese if using before serving.
