Buffalo sauce is one of my favourite store cupboard essentials so I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate it into our meal plans and that’s how this little number came about. This is a lovely comforting pasta recipe which is not only quick and easy to whip up, but its packed with lots of lovely flavours.
Buffalo Chicken Pasta with Garlic Crouton Top
If you can’t get a hold of the Shwartz Buffalo seasoning or any ranch seasoning (the powdered stuff) , simply leave them out. I’ve bought the Buffalo seasoning in ASDA and Morrison’s so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find but the ranch is a little more tricky. I get mine from either amazon or from an online store called Condimaniac (who also do the most amazing bagel seasoning!!).
I’ve included the points and calorie values for this dish with and without the crouton top. I’ve had it both ways, often having it without the topping if I’m trying to have a lighter meal or if I’m too hungry to wait for the topping to bake!
WW POINTS AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Serves 4
Without Crouton Top
WW = 10 points or 512 cals, 3.9g fat, 69.7g carbs, 54.6g protein
With Crouton Top
WW = 15 points or 621 cals, 10.6g fat, 76.8g carbs, 60.4g protein
INGREDIENTS
- 320g pasta, dry weight
- 400g chicken breast, raw and cut into medium size chunks
- 1 onion, peeled and finely diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Schwartz buffalo seasoning
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1 chicken stock cube (made up with 400ml boiling water)
- 150g light cream cheese
- 2 tbsp franks red hot buffalo sauce
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ranch seasoning (optional – leave out if you can’t get this)
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 3 spring onions, sliced
- Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped (save a little bit for dressing)
For the crouton top (optional)
- 2 crusts of a loaf of bread, chopped into 1cm cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp each paprika and mixed herbs
- 30g parmesan
- 50g light mature cheddar
METHOD
- Put pasta on to cook according to packet instructions. Drain when al dente and pop to one side.
- Whilst the pasta is cooking spray a large pan with 1kal, add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and the buffalo seasoning spice mix. Fry for 6-7 minutes (until cooked through).
- Add the onion and garlic and fry for another 5 minutes until the onion is soft.
- Add the tomato puree, stir and fry for a minute and then add the plain flour, stir and fry for another minute.
- Next add the chicken stock and simmer until it starts to thicken up (around 5 minutes).
- Add the cream cheese, buffalo sauce, paprika, ranch seasoning and cayenne pepper with a little more black pepper. Stir and let simmer for 5-6 minutes (add a little more water if the sauce needs loosening).
- Finally add the spring onions and coriander.
- Add the drained and cooked pasta to the sauce pan and toss the pasta in the sauce.
*You can serve the dish at this point or you can continue with the below steps to top with the breadcrumbs and bake. *
- If you are going to bake, pre heat the oven to 180c.
- Take a frying pan, add the oil, bring to a medium heat and then add the bread, garlic, paprika and mixed herbs with a little salt and pepper. Fry for 3-4 minutes until the bread becomes golden and starts to get crispy.
- Pop the pasta and sauce into a heat proof dish. Top with the garlic croutons and then sprinkle over the parmesan and cheddar.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle over the reserved coriander.
- Enjoy!
Buffalo Chicken Pasta with Garlic Crouton Top
Ingredients
- 320 g pasta dry weight
- 400 g chicken breast raw and cut into medium size chunks
- 1 onion peeled and finely diced
- 3 cloves of garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Schwartz buffalo seasoning
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1 chicken stock cube made up with 400ml boiling water
- 150 g light cream cheese
- 2 tbsp franks red hot buffalo sauce
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ranch seasoning optional – leave out if you can’t get this
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 3 spring onions sliced
- Handful of fresh coriander roughly chopped (save a little bit for dressing)
- For the crouton top optional
- 2 crusts of a loaf of bread chopped into 1cm cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp each paprika and mixed herbs
- 30 g parmesan
- 50 g light mature cheddar
Instructions
- Put pasta on to cook according to packet instructions. Drain when al dente and pop to one side.
- Whilst the pasta is cooking spray a large pan with 1kal, add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and the buffalo seasoning spice mix. Fry for 6-7 minutes (until cooked through).
- Add the onion and garlic and fry for another 5 minutes until the onion is soft.
- Add the tomato puree, stir and fry for a minute and then add the plain flour, stir and fry for another minute.
- Next add the chicken stock and simmer until it starts to thicken up (around 5 minutes).
- Add the cream cheese, buffalo sauce, paprika, ranch seasoning and cayenne pepper with a little more black pepper. Stir and let simmer for 5-6 minutes (add a little more water if the sauce needs loosening).
- Finally add the spring onions and coriander.
- Add the drained and cooked pasta to the sauce pan and toss the pasta in the sauce.
- *You can serve the dish at this point or you can continue with the below steps to top with the breadcrumbs and bake. *
- If you are going to bake, pre heat the oven to 180c.
- Take a frying pan, add the oil, bring to a medium heat and then add the bread, garlic, paprika and mixed herbs with a little salt and pepper. Fry for 3-4 minutes until the bread becomes golden and starts to get crispy.
- Pop the pasta and sauce into a heat proof dish. Top with the garlic croutons and then sprinkle over the parmesan and cheddar.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle over the reserved coriander.
- Enjoy!
