The Mac And Cheese Topping That'll Maximize Your Comfort Food Vibes

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Mac and cheese on its own is one of the most comforting dishes around, thanks to the soft, filling goodness of the carb-y macaroni, as well as the gooey richness of the melty cheese — which can also add a bit of texture if it's browned on top from baking. While you might have the absolute best macaroni and cheese recipe ever, there are also many different customizations one could make to increase the stick-to-your-ribs coziness of the dish. And one of the tastiest toppings, according to Sarah Hill, food blogger at Real Food with Sarah, is buffalo chicken.

"Buffalo chicken brings heat and tang, which pairs perfectly with the creamy, cheesy pasta," she told Food Republic in an exclusive interview. But not only does the kick from the buffalo sauce work beautifully with the mac and cheese, the spiciness, according to Hill, also helps to cut through the cream and cheese's richness. So instead of just one savory flavor profile, you get two, and they are well-balanced and oh-so-comforting. Exciting times to be a mouth!

One of the nice things about buffalo chicken is how easy it can be to make, so you don't have a lot of extra steps to add it to your mac and cheese. Sarah Hill told us the easiest way to get a satisfying dinner was to combine everything. "For a weeknight casserole," she told us, "you can fold shredded buffalo chicken into the mac before baking." You could, for example, make it as simple as picking up an ultra-cheap Costco rotisserie chicken. Once home, you just need to break it down using the plastic bag method, and then mix it up with some bottled buffalo sauce from the store. Or if you have the time and inclination, you can also make it from scratch, baking it up in the oven with a homemade buffalo sauce — or even some Frank's Red Hot Sauce with a little melted butter. If you wanted to make your weeknight dinner easier, you could also make the buffalo chicken ahead of time, on Saturday or Sunday; it's good for up to four days in the fridge.

As for using the spicy protein as a topping, Hill suggested "adding crispy buffalo chicken on top of your mac when serving," because it creates a different textural dimension to the dish. To get it crispy, we recommend shredding the chicken and then placing it on a lined baking sheet and putting it under the broiler until you have achieved the texture you prefer.