Description
Indulge in the perfect combination of sweet and spicy with this Honey Pepper Mac recipe. Creamy and cheesy macaroni topped with honey-glazed chicken strips and crispy bacon is a flavor explosion you don’t want to miss!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Dish:
- 1 (16 oz) box spiral noodles
- 1 (25 oz) bag breaded chicken strips
- 5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh basil for garnish
Honey Pepper Sauce:
- 3/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Cheese Sauce:
- 1 stick butter
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cup freshly shredded Colby Jack cheese
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- Chopped fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Bake or fry chicken: Follow package instructions to cook chicken strips. Set aside.
- Cook noodles: Boil spiral noodles until al dente. Drain.
- Make honey pepper sauce: Combine honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, lemon juice, vinegar, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a saucepan. Simmer until slightly thickened. Cool.
- Prepare cheese sauce: Melt butter, add heavy cream, Parmesan, mozzarella, Colby Jack cheese, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Toss noodles in cheese sauce, add crumbled bacon.
- Coat chicken: Dip cooked chicken in honey pepper sauce.
- Assemble dish: Plate cheesy pasta, top with chicken strips, basil, and extra bacon.
Notes
- This dish combines sweet and spicy flavors with a creamy cheese sauce.
- The cheese sauce features a blend of three cheeses for a rich taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
