My family is always excited at the prospect of a trip to Buffalo Wild Wings. We love the upbeat atmosphere with sports games and trivia viewable from every direction. We order spicy wings and fries each time with some veggies on the side, and it is always delicious.
Even from a young age, my oldest son followed in the footsteps of his father and added extra heat to his food. Over time, both of our boys, ages 14 and 11, have become adventurous eaters. They both love spicy food, and the kind of food doesn’t seem to matter. Whether it’s spicy chips, peppers on pizza, hot wings or hot sauce on everything, they can’t seem to get enough. Recently, they both have been on a spicy ramen kick.
I also enjoy food that’s a little spicy. Specifically, my favorites are spicy Pad Thai, pickled jalapeños on a taco salad, and spicy Cashew Chicken. But how much heat is too much heat? I do feel that too much spice can ruin a dish, and if it requires me to consume large volumes of water or milk, it’s probably gone too far.
This recipe is one with just the right amount of spice and came into our lives many years ago when I participated in a meal prep group with other moms of young kids. At that time, it was really tricky finding easy dishes that the kids would eat. This recipe quickly moved from one that they would eat to being named a favorite dinner by both boys. I’ve altered the recipe a bit over time, but it is something we consistently enjoy every few weeks.
This dish is creamy comfort food combined with the spicy fix we need if we plan to stay in rather than head out to Buffalo Wild Wings. It is quick to put together and full of flavor. Pair it with a side salad to round out the meal.
Please let me know if you try out this recipe. And don’t forget to send your own recipes to kewaneevoicerecipes@gmail.com so I can start featuring them here. Be sure to include your name, hometown and some background information about the recipe.
From my kitchen to yours, enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 package rigatoni pasta
1 T. paprika
1/2 T. salt
1/2 T. garlic powder
1/2 T. black pepper
1 lb. chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
Drizzle of olive oil
1/2 c. hot sauce
1/2 red onion, diced
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. ranch dressing
3/4 c. milk
Chives, chopped
Cook pasta according to package directions. Mix chicken breast pieces with the spices and cook in olive oil. When chicken is about halfway cooked, add onion and sauté until chicken is done. Add hot sauce and sauté with the chicken for two minutes.
Combine mayonnaise, ranch dressing, and milk in a bowl. Add mixture to chicken mixture and heat through.
Toss chicken mixture with pasta, top with chives and serve.
