Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 lb chicken thigh fillets cut in bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika powder
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup hot sauce
10 oz cream cheese
3½ cups dry penne pasta
2 large handfuls spinach
2 cups shredded cheese
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup crumbled blue cheese divided

Directions

Preheat the oven over 390°F (200°C).

Melt butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and season with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika powder and ground black pepper. Sear for 3 minutes, until the chicken is cooked on all sides on the outside. It does not have to be cooked through.

1 tablespoon butter,1 lb chicken thigh fillets, 1 teaspoon garlic powder,1 teaspoon onion powder,½ teaspoon paprika

Pour in hot sauce and mix with the chicken. Then add cream cheese and mix well while the cheese is melting. Simmer for 1 minute.

Bring out a baking dish and place the penne pasta in the bottom. Follow with spinach, half the shredded cheese, chicken and the rest of the shredded cheese. Pour over the milk and cream.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes, until browned on top. Remove the dish from the oven and top with half of the blue cheese, then place it back in the oven for 5 more minutes, until the blue cheese is melted.

Top with the remaining blue cheese just before serving. Serve on its own or with a green side salad.