Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add your pasta and cook until it is just al dente — about 2 minutes less than the packet instructions. You want a little bite as it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain, reserving about 100ml of the pasta water, then set aside.

While the pasta cooks, build the sauce. In a large, ovenproof skillet or deep frying pan, warm the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring often, until it becomes translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. You will smell a sweet, savoury aroma as it releases its moisture. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Create the creamy buffalo base. Reduce the heat to low. Add the chicken stock, double cream, and the softened cream cheese to the pan. Whisk continuously until the cream cheese has fully melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy, with no lumps remaining. This should take about 2–3 minutes.

Stir in the heat and seasoning. Pour in the buffalo hot sauce and add the smoked paprika and onion powder. Season with a pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Stir everything together until the sauce is a uniform, vibrant orange colour and smells warmly spiced. Let it simmer for 1 minute to thicken slightly.

Combine the casserole. Add the shredded chicken and the drained pasta to the sauce. Toss everything together gently but thoroughly using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. You want every piece of pasta and every shred of chicken to be coated in that luscious, tangy sauce. If the mixture looks a little dry, add a splash of your reserved pasta water to loosen it.

Top with cheese and bake. Transfer the mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish if you did not use an ovenproof pan. Sprinkle the grated cheddar and mozzarella evenly over the top. Bake for 20 minutes, until the casserole is bubbling fiercely around the edges and the cheese has melted. For that signature golden crust, switch the oven to a high grill (broiler) for the final 2–3 minutes. Watch it closely until the cheese is blistered and golden brown in spots.

Rest and serve. Remove the casserole from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes. This allows the sauce to settle and makes serving much cleaner. Garnish with sliced spring onions if you like, then portion out for your meal prep containers or serve immediately.