Buffalo Cauliflower Mac And Cheese

Buffalo Chicken anything is usually a big hit in our house so I was excited to try out this recipe for the entire family. It’s a tasty and healthy buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese!

The great thing about making this spicy cauliflower mac and cheese with chicken is that it’s got a boost of protein and no carbs so it’s also approved for a 2B Mindset lunch or dinner recipe!

I love that it’s a full meal in one pot, ready to go before I know it! This recipe can be made in the Instant Pot, which I love, but it can also be done on the stove or in the crockpot.

You can use whatever you have on hand and it’s still just a quick and easy as ever! You can make this quick and easy buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese for dinner, meal preps for lunch, and everything in between.

Similar Recipes To Try:

• Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip

• Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites

• Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

• Spanish Cauliflower Rice with Chicken

• Mashed Cauliflower Recipe | Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

21 Day Fix | 2B Mindset Info For Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese:

Recipe Info:
Serves: 4
Serving Size: 1 3/4 cup (1 cup vegetables and 3/4 cup protein)

Entire Recipe:
6R
4G
1tsp (negligible)
4B
2T brown rice flour (negligible)

Per Serving:
4 servings, 1 3/4C servings
1.5R
1G
1B

2B Mindset Info:
This is a great dinner option for the 2B Mindset nutrition plan because it’s got lean protein and veggies! Pair it with an FFC choice at lunch and you can use it there as well!

How Do I Make This Delicious Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese In The Instant Pot?

1) Turn the Instant Pot to sauté. Add the oil and allow it to heat up. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and sauté until the chicken is browned.
2) Sprinkle garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, dill, parsley, and salt over the Instant Pot. Mix up the chicken so that the seasoning is evenly distributed.
3) Add the cauliflower to the Instant Pot and cover with the hot sauce. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing.
4) Cook the chicken and cauliflower on high pressure using the manual setting for 1 minute. Let the pressure release naturally.
5) In a blender mix together the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt to create a creamy sauce. Blend the sauce until smooth. Pour the sauce over the chicken and cauliflower. Add the cheese and brown rice flour. Carefully fold the sauce and cheese in so that the cauliflower holds its shape.
6) Garnish and serve while still warm or pack up for lunch through the week.

Note: For this buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese to work you must cut the chicken into small bite sized pieces and brown the chicken. If you skip this step the chicken will not have enough time to cook. Plus, it keeps the chicken from cooking in a solid lump.

Can I Make Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese On The Stove?

1) Heat a skillet on the stove and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot sauté the chicken until it is browned.
2) Add the seasoning, hot sauce, and cauliflower to the skillet. Mix it up so the cauliflower is covered in hot sauce. Cover the skillet and reduce heat to medium low heat.
3) Allow the cauliflower to cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the cauliflower is tender.
4) Turn off the stove and blend together the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt to make a cream sauce. Stir the sauce, cheddar cheese, and brown rice flour into the skillet until the cheese melts. Garnish and serve.

I Love My Crockpot! Is There A Way To Make This Recipe In The Slow Cooker?

*Do not cube the chicken before cooking in the slow cooker.*

1) Add the whole chicken breast, cauliflower, seasoning, and hot sauce to the slower cooker.
2) Cover and let cook for 2 1/2 to 4 hours on low heat or until the chicken is done.
3) Remove the chicken, chop it into cubes, then add it back into the slow cooker.
4) Blend together the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt to make a cream sauce. Add the cream sauce, cheddar cheese, and brown rice flour to the chicken and cauliflower and mix until the cheese is melted. Garnish and serve.

Can I make this with fresh riced cauliflower?

Yes! I’d quick release the pot instead of natural release. Just know it won’t have the same macaroni and cheese texture that the whole cauliflower florets have.

Can I use noodles instead of cauliflower?

Absolutely! I’d make the chunks of chicken a little bigger and cook it for half the amount of time that is listed on the back of the box. If you do this and are on the Fix, don’t forget to recalculate your containers.

Do you have Weight Watchers counts for this buffalo cauliflower macaroni and cheese? 

Sure! So this recipe for Weight Watchers should be made using low fat cottage cheese and low fat greek yogurt. The points come out to 7 Freestyle Smart Points when using the noted ingredients.

If you want to cut points you can use fat free cottage cheese and greek yogurt, you can also dial back the shredded cheddar. Kraft makes a fat free shredded cheddar that is lower in points as well.

The majority of your points are coming from the cheese so if you’re willing to dial back on the cheesiest of Mac and cheeses then you can cut some points but at 7 Freestyle Smart Points per serving this recipe is really reasonable! 

Can I eat this buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese on Trim Healthy Mama? 

You can! This is an S recipe and you’ll need to make these changes: for thickening options, Xanthum Gum or Glucomannan Powder, although, or possibly even Oat Fiber could be used to thicken! Finally a Trim Healthy Mama buffalo chicken mac and cheese recipe that you’ll actually enjoy! 

Printable Buffalo Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese Recipe:

Print Recipe

4.32 from 19 votes

Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

This healthy buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese is made with cauliflower and chicken, and it's a healthy weeknight meal! This spicy cauliflower mac and cheese with chicken can be made in the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or stove top. 

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: 21 Day Fix, 2B Mindset, buffalo chicken, Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese, healthy, mac and cheese

Servings: 4 Servings

Calories: 340kcal

Author: Becca Ludlum

Ingredients

• 1 lb. chicken breast cut into 1bite sized pieces
• 1 head cauliflower cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup cottage cheese
• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt plain
• 3/4 cup hot sauce (Frank's ORIGINAL, not Buffalo if you're on the Fix)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried dill
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tbsp brown rice flour or other thickening agent

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Turn the Instant Pot to sauté. Add the oil and allow it to heat up. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and sauté until the chicken is browned.
• Sprinkle garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, dill, parsley, and salt over the Instant Pot. Mix up the chicken so that the seasoning is evenly distributed.
• Add the cauliflower to the Instant Pot and cover with the hot sauce. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing.
• Cook the chicken and cauliflower on high pressure using the manual setting for 1 minute. Let the pressure release naturally.
• In a blender mix together the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt to create a creamy sauce. Blend the sauce until smooth. Slowly pour the sauce over the chicken and cauliflower. Add the cheese and brown rice flour. Carefully fold the sauce and cheese in so that the cauliflower holds its shape.
• Garnish and serve while still warm or pack up for lunch through the week.
• Note: For this recipe to work you must cut the chicken into small bite sized pieces and brown the chicken. If you skip this step the chicken will not have enough time to cook. Plus, it keeps the chicken from cooking in a solid lump.

Stove Top:

• Heat a skillet on the stove and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot sauté the chicken until it is browned.
• Add the seasoning, hot sauce, and cauliflower to the skillet. Mix it up so the cauliflower is covered in hot sauce. Cover the skillet and reduce heat to medium low heat.
• Allow the cauliflower to cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the cauliflower is tender.
• Turn off the stove and blend together the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt to make a cream sauce. Stir the sauce, cheddar cheese, and brown rice flour into the skillet until the cheese melts. Garnish and serve.

Slow Cooker:

• * Do not cube the chicken before cooking in the slow cooker.
• Add the whole chicken breast, cauliflower, seasoning, and hot sauce to the slower cooker.
• Cover and let cook for 2 1/2 to 4 hours on low heat or until the chicken is done.
• Remove the chicken, chop it into cubes, then add it back into the slow cooker.
• Blend together the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt to make a cream sauce. Add the cream sauce, cheddar cheese, and brown rice flour to the chicken and cauliflower and mix until the cheese is melted. Garnish and serve.

Video

Notes

Serves: 4
Serving Size: 1 3/4 cup (1 cup vegetables and 3/4 cup protein)

21 Day Fix:
4 servings, 1 3/4C servings
1.5R
1G
1B

Weight Watchers: 7 Freestyle Smart Points Per Serving when using low fat cottage cheese and low fat greek yogurt. 

Nutrition

Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 1945mg | Potassium: 620mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 8.9% | Vitamin C: 42.4% | Calcium: 28.7% | Iron: 5.5%