Chicken Mac and Cheese
User Reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
50 mins
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Servings
6 people
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Calories
563 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Chicken Mac and Cheese
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This extra creamy Chicken Mac and Cheese is easy to make in one skillet and has the BEST cheese sauce with juicy bites of seared chicken and savory pasta shells.
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Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 ½ cups half and half
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ chicken bouillon cube
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon EACH: onion powder, garlic powder, parsley
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: paprika, pepper
Chicken, Pasta, Cheese, etc.
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
- Salt/Pepper to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup dry white wine see notes
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 ¾ cups shredded cheddar cheese see notes
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ lb. small or medium shells see notes
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Instructions
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a large measuring cup with a spout and set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning.
- Begin boiling a pot of salted water for the pasta while you proceed with the following steps.
- Slice the chicken in half lengthwise to create 2-3 thinner slices. Cover with saran wrap and use the textured side of a meat mallet to pound it to ½ inch thick.
- Pat the chicken dry and season each side with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in batches for 4-5 minutes per side, until a golden crust has developed. Set aside and let rest for 10 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Turn the heat off. Add the wine and set the heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom and sides of the skillet, this will add more flavor to the sauce. Reduce the wine by half, about 4-5 minutes.
- Melt the butter and stir in the flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously, until the raw flour smell is gone.
- Add the sauce mixture in small splashes, stirring continuously. Be sure to do this slowly to maintain the thickness of the sauce.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered, while you cook the pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Drain once cooked. Stir the sauce occasionally as the pasta cooks.
- Reduce the heat of the sauce to low. Gradually sprinkle in the cheese, stirring continuously, until combined.
- Add the drained pasta and the cooked chicken and stir to combine. There will be a lot of cheese sauce, but the pasta will continue to absorb it upon standing. Serve!
Notes
- Pro Tips:
- Storage:
- Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 6 servings in this recipe.
- Pasta: I use small shells for this, but you can also use medium shells, macaroni, cavatappi, and fusilli.
- Wine: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Sauvignon Blanc are my go-to dry white wines for this recipe. My next recommendation would be non-alcoholic white wine, which is widely available. While the wine does really elevate this, chicken broth can be used instead.
- Cheese Choices: Use any combination of soft cheeses that you enjoy the flavor of. Best options include any combination of yellow/orange/white cheddar, gouda, gruyere, and Parmesan. Mozzarella may be used but is a bit more mild. Whatever cheese you choose will dictate the flavor of the cheese sauce.
- I love using Cracker Barrel Sharp or Extra Sharp Yellow Cheddar, Castello Gouda, and Belgioioso Parmesan.
- Shred the cheese from a block. Packaged shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting well into soups/sauces. Freshly shredded cheese also tastes best.
- Cheese Sauce: This makes plenty of cheese sauce to coat the pasta and chicken, note that the pasta will continue to absorb the sauce as it stands, it looks like a lot at first. You can also use a little more than 1/2 lb. of pasta and add it until your desired pasta/sauce ratio is obtained.
- The Hot Sauce and Mustard Powder are flavor enhancers that you can't taste outright in this dish.
- Lemon Juice: I love adding a tablespoon or so of fresh lemon juice to this at the end, it makes the other flavors pop!
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- These leftovers reheat pretty well. I use the 'melt' setting on my microwave or you can reheat over 50% power. A makeshift double boiler reheats creamy pastas really well too!
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
563kcal
(28%)
Carbohydrates
36g
(12%)
Protein
33g
(66%)
Fat
30g
(46%)
Saturated Fat
16g
(80%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
Monounsaturated Fat
9g
Trans Fat
0.2g
Cholesterol
122mg
(41%)
Sodium
632mg
(26%)
Potassium
508mg
(15%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
821IU
(16%)
Vitamin C
2mg
(2%)
Calcium
354mg
(35%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 563 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 563kcal | 28% |
| Carbohydrates | 36g | 12% |
| Protein | 33g | 66% |
| Fat | 30g | 46% |
| Saturated Fat | 16g | 80% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 122mg | 41% |
| Sodium | 632mg | 26% |
| Potassium | 508mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 821IU | 16% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 354mg | 35% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
9 reviews
Excellent
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