Description
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this BBQ Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe. Creamy, cheesy macaroni mixed with tender, seasoned chicken drizzled in barbecue sauce, this dish is a flavor explosion that will satisfy all your cravings.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
BBQ Chicken:
- 1 1/2 lb chicken breasts, sliced in half
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp oil
- 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 Tbsp Franks Red Hot or any buffalo sauce (optional)
Mac and Cheese:
- 12 oz box shells (medium-sized, about 2 cups of dry pasta)
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt & pepper
- 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
Instructions
- BBQ Chicken: If cooking your own chicken, season and cook chicken breasts in a pan until done. Shred/chop, mix with BBQ sauce and set aside.
- Mac and Cheese: Cook pasta, make cheese sauce, then combine cooked pasta, sauce, and shredded BBQ chicken. Bake or serve as is.
Notes
- Taste the cheese sauce before finalizing seasoning.
- For a healthier option, use chicken broth, low-fat cheese, and protein pasta.
- Cook pasta al dente for better texture.
- Avoid overbaking the mac & cheese; lightly brown the top.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 529 kcal
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 875mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0.02g
- Carbohydrates: 57g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 104mg
