Big Boy Mac and Cheese

Name: Big Boy Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 5 servings
Ingredients: 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp garlic powder; ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp pepper; 1 tbsp oil; 1 lb frozen cauliflower; 1 small onion; 3 cloves garlic; 1 medium red bell pepper; 1 large carrots; 2 tbsp oil; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp salt; 1 lb macaroni noodles; 8 oz cheddar cheese; 1 lb 4% cottage cheese; 1½ cups pasta water; 1½ cups 2% milk; salt and pepper to taste; ¼ cup chopped parsley

User Reviews

4.7

75 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
Servings
5 servings
Calories
1008 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
American

Big Boy Mac and Cheese

Iris Warren

Report

This Mac and Cheese is calorie and protein dense, making it a wonderful option for muscle and weight gain goals. The sauce is made from cheddar and cottage cheese as well as almost 2 lbs of roasted vegetables to sneak in some easy nutrients.

Share:

I Made This!

56 people made this

Print

17 people printed this

Save this

45 people saved this

Ingredients

Servings

For the Chicken

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tbsp oil

For the Vegetables

1 lb frozen cauliflower
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
1 medium red bell pepper
1 large carrots
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt

For the Mac & Cheese

1 lb macaroni noodles gluten free if needed
8 oz cheddar cheese block is best
1 lb 4% cottage cheese
1½ cups pasta water
1½ cups 2% milk
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped parsley optional

Add to Shopping List

Instructions

For the Macaroni

Heat a large pot of water and bring to a boil. For reference, I used 96oz (2800mL) of water to cook the pasta. Too much water will dilute the starchy pasta water that we will use to thicken the sauce later.
Cook the macaroni according to the packaging. Shoot for just past al dente on the doneness. Reserve 1½ cups 360g of the pasta water for your cheese sauce.
Once they are cooked, rinse and store in cold water to stop the cooking process until you are ready to use later.

For the Vegetables

Preheat your oven to 425 °F (218 °C).
Wash and cut your vegetables into a rough chop. You just need pieces to roast up. These will all get blended into the sauce later. Cut the onions, pepper, and carrots into 1-2 inch pieces. Leave the garlic whole.
In a large bowl, add the frozen cauliflower florets, chopped peppers, onions, carrots, and garlic.
Add the oil, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Toss in the bowl to coat. Spray a sheet pan lightly with oil and spread the vegetables out on the pan.
Roast for 25-30 minutes and toss around the 20 minute mark.

For the Chicken

In your now empty vegetable bowl, add 1 tbsp of oil, the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to form a marinade.
Trim the excess fat and skin from the chicken and add it to your bowl. Toss it around until evenly coated.
Place the chicken on to an oil sprayed sheet pan. Place into the oven at 425°F for 15-20 minutes. If you are roasting the chicken and vegetables at the same time, I find it best to put the chicken on a rack below the vegetables.
Once the chicken has finished roasting, allow it to rest for a few minutes and then cut it into a small dice.

For the Cheese Sauce

Shred your block of cheese using a box grater or food processor. Using a blend of different cheese can also add layers of flavor if you don't mind buying a few blocks of cheese.
Once the vegetables have finished roasting, place them into a blender with 1½ cups of pasta water, 1½ cups of milk, cheddar cheese, and cottage cheese. Blend on high speed for 30-60s or until smooth. You may need to do this in two rounds to fit inside of the blender.

For the Mac & Cheese

Drain the water away from the noodles. Pour the cheese sauce into the noodles and mix. It is going to seem liquidy, it will thicken as it heats.
Place the pot over medium heat and let it start to warm and thicken. Add in your chopped chicken and mix. Stir frequently so it doesn't stick to the bottom.
Taste taste and salt as needed once it has thickened. If you wish, you can add in a bit of chopped parsley for color.

Plating

This recipe makes 5 servings. Cut the dish into 5 equal portions and place into each meal prep container. Top with chopped parsley for a garnish if you wish.