Prep all ingredients per the instructions above.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and olive oil to make the homemade buffalo sauce.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook briefly until smooth. Slowly add the milk while whisking, then stir in the buffalo sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Simmer the sauce, stirring often, until slightly thickened and creamy. Stir in the cottage cheese until fully incorporated. Add the shredded cheddar and Parmesan cheese and stir until melted and smooth.

Fold in the shredded chicken until evenly coated in the sauce.

Add the cooked pasta and stir until well combined.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the broccoli until bright green and tender about 5 - 6 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.

Pour sparkling water over lemon slices and gently stir. Serve over ice if desired.

Serve the buffalo chicken mac and cheese with steamed broccoli and lemon sparkling water.