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BBQ Chicken Mac and Cheese

BBQ Chicken Mac and Cheese: Indulgent Comfort Food Delight

BBQ Chicken Mac and Cheese is an indulgent comfort food that combines savory BBQ chicken and creamy mac and cheese for a delightful meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Resting Time 2 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 cups
Calories 529 kcal

Equipment

  • large heavy-bottomed pan
  • Colander
  • Large pot

Ingredients
  

BBQ Chicken

  • 1 ½ lb chicken breasts, sliced in half
  • ½ teaspoon salt more as needed
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • ⅓ cup barbecue sauce more as needed
  • 2 tablespoon Franks Red Hot or any buffalo sauce optional

Mac and Cheese

  • 12 oz medium sized shells about 2 cups of dry pasta. Gluten free pasta will also work.
  • 4 tablespoon butter
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour or gluten free all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt and pepper
  • ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 ½ cup milk use any milk of choice! Chicken broth will also work.
  • ½ cup water chicken broth will also work.
  • ¾ cup cheddar, shredded
  • ½ cup pepper jack cheese, shredded

Instructions
 

BBQ Chicken

  • If you are cooking your own chicken; grab a large heavy bottomed pan or skillet. Add 1 teaspoon of oil to the pan and place on medium/high heat. Cut the breasts in half for a quicker/even cook.
  • Coat the chicken with the chicken seasonings. Add the chicken to the hot pan. Cook on each side for about 8-10 minutes or until it reaches 165º internally. Let the chicken rest for 2 minutes. Shred/chop the chicken, add to a large bowl and mix with bbq & hot sauce. Set aside.

Mac and Cheese

  • Start to cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
  • Once pasta is done, drain in a colander. Set aside. In the same pot, cook the mac and cheese sauce.
  • Melt the butter in the large pot on medium/low heat. Add in flour and whisk well. Next, add in seasonings, milk (or broth) and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down and add the shredded cheese! Next add noodles and shredded BBQ coated chicken.
  • You can serve as is or take it up a notch and add the mix to a 9×9 casserole dish and pop into a preheated oven (400º) to bake. Feel free to add some extra shredded cheddar and BBQ sauce drizzle before baking. Bake for about 15 minutes, pull from the oven, serve and enjoy. Optional to garnish with chopped cilantro.

Notes

Taste the cheese sauce! You may want to add a little more salt and pepper so be sure to taste as you go. Make it a little healthier. Use chicken broth in place of the milk, and use low fat cheese and protein pasta. Don’t overcook the noodles. Cook them al dente so they hold up well with the creamy cheese sauce. Don’t over bake the mac & cheese, be sure to just lightly brown the top in the oven for the ultimate tasty mac & cheese. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can freeze these for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 529kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 40gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 875mgPotassium: 721mgFiber: 2gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 499IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 283mgIron: 2mg
Keyword BBQ Chicken Mac and Cheese, cheesy, Chicken, Comfort Food, Mac and Cheese, pasta
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