Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

This one scored 10 out of 10 with family. Even the one person who does not like mac & cheese thought this was a keeper. I used whole wheat penne pasta, but you could substitute with any pasta you would like.

5 tbsp unsalted butter, plus some for coating the casserole dish
whole wheat penne pasta
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 boneless skinless chicken breast
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 buffalo wing sauce, plus additional for marinating the chicken
1/4 hot sauce
2 tbsp flour
2 tsp ground mustard
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
2 cups shredded cheddar and mozzarella
2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper for seasoning

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Preheat grill.

Butter casserole dish.

Marinade chicken with some of the wing sauce.

Bring pot of water to boil for the pasta.

Put chicken on the grill and cook until just about cooked through. Wrap in foil and set aside to rest.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Do not forget to season your water. Once done, place in a large bowl so you can mix with the sauce before baking.

Melt 3 tbsp of butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, season with salt and pepper and cook until soft. Add garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes.

Chop chicken and add to sauté pan cook for an additional 5 minutes. Be sure to add any juices from when the chicken was resting. Add 1/3 cup of wing sauce. Mix well.

Add 2 tbsp of butter and melt. Stir in flour and mustard. Add half-and-half and then the hot sauce. Stir and continue cooking for about 2 minutes. Slowly add both chesses mixing well. Once fully melted, add sour cream and mix until smooth.

Toss sauce and cooked pasta together. Spread out in the casserole dish. Sprinkle top with panko bread crumbs. Bake for about 40 minutes.

Garnish with chopped cilantro, serve and ENJOY!!!!

Wine pairing.......Pinot Noir or Zinfandel.