Shaker Gourmet: Buffalo Chicken Pasta

I combed through the archives but I didn't see this one, however, it's possible I missed it--so sorry if this is a repeat!

Anyway, this is a very favorite, oft-requested dish in our house (in fact, it's the special first-day-of-school meal for tomorrow for the new Kindergartner in the house!). I found it years ago on a now-lost cd of recipes.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta
* 1 pound penne
* 1 tsp. paprika
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
* 1/2 tsp. black pepper
* 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 2 tsp. vegetable oil
* 1-2 tsp. hot sauce
* 1/2 cup sliced celery
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1/2 cup bleu cheese salad dressing
* 3/4 cup milk
* 2 Tbsp. bleu cheese, crumbled

—Prepare pasta according to package directions.

—While pasta is cooking, combine paprika, salt, garlic powder and pepper; sprinkle over chicken, stirring to coat.

—Add oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet and saute over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Add hot sauce; cook 1 minute. Add celery and onion and saute about 2 minutes; turn heat down to med-low.

—Combine mayonnaise, dressing and milk in a small bowl. Add to skillet and stir until thoroughly heated.

—When pasta is done, drain well and return to pot. Add contents of skillet to pot and mix well (or add pasta to skillet, either way) and let sit a couple minutes to meld. Transfer to serving dish and sprinkle with cheese.

Since I loathe bleu cheese with the intensity of a thousand suns, I use ranch dressing instead. I don't put cheese on top but the kids occasionally like shredded cheddar. You can always tinker with the heat factor to get it as spicy as you like.

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