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5.0 from 12 votes

Spicy Green Chile Bacon Mac and Cheese

If you love gooey cheese, tender pasta, smoky meat, and earthy poblano peppers, you're going to flip for my Spicy Green Chile Bacon Mac and Cheese. Al dente macaroni is tossed with three types of melty cheese, crispy bacon, and a creamy poblano and hatch green chile sauce, topped with a crunchy breadcrumb topping, then baked to cheesy perfection. YUM.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 817 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Ingredients

  • 8 lices Bacon cooked and chopped
  • 1 poblano pepper
  • 3 to 4 Hatch or Anaheim chile peppers
  • 2  chicken bouillon cubes divided
  • 1 large white onion quartered and divided
  • 2 garlic cloves divided
  • 1 cup milk
  • 16 ounces small elbow macaroni
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 ½ cups enchilado cheese or Muenster
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Topping:
  • ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup bread crumbs

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Turn the broiler to high. Set poblano and Hatch chiles on a baking sheet, and then place the sheet underneath the broiler. Cook, flipping the chiles occasionally with a pair of tongs, until blackened on all sides. Turn off the broiler, and transfer chiles to a plastic bag. Let steam for five to ten minutes. Peel the blackened skins off the chiles, and then remove stems and seeds. Chop the Hatch chiles and set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. Place roasted poblano in a blender along with 1 bouillon cube, 1/4 of the onion, 1 garlic clove, and milk. Puree mixture until smooth.
  4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 bouillon cube, half of the onion, and 1 garlic clove. Cook the pasta according to the box directions. When done, drain pasta in a colander and rinse with cold water and discard onion and garlic.
  5. Meanwhile, add butter to a large oven-safe skillet set over medium heat. When it foams, add remaining onion (finely diced) and sauté until truculent for about 2 minutes and then pour in the creamy sauce mixture. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring it occasionally.
  6. Add the pasta to the pot and add enchilada cheese, cheddar cheese, chopped Hatch chile, bacon, and gently combine for about 2 minutes until cheese melts.
  7. In a small bowl combine parmesan cheese with bread crumbs.
  8. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top of the macaroni and cheese.
  9. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until browned and bubbly, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Notes

  • Expert Tips:
  • Expert Tips:
  • Grate Your Own Cheese. While it's tempting to save time by buying pre-grated cheese, resist the urge. The manufacturers add a weird, starchy substance to the bags to keep the individual shreds from glomming back together into a cheesy blob, which prevents it from melting properly.
  • Remove The Seeds & Membranes To Make It Less Spicy. Most of the capsaicin (the compound that makes chiles taste spicy) is based in the seeds and membranes. Remove them to make this hatch chile mac and cheese a little less fiery.
  • Season Your Pasta Water. At the very least, you should always add salt to your pasta water since it's the only opportunity you'll get to season the noodles themselves. Here I swap in bouillon for the salt, plus add garlic and onion to the water for an added hit of flavor.
  • Don't Overcook The Pasta. Refer to the package directions and err on the side of cooking just the minimum amount, as the heat from the oven and the liquid from the sauce will continue to cook the pasta in the oven.
  • Make-Ahead For A Weeknight Win. Feel free to assemble the macaroni and cheese casserole up through step 5, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. When you're ready to serve, allow it to defrost overnight in the fridge if frozen, then mix up the breadcrumb topping and sprinkle it over the top, and bake as instructed until bubbly and delicious.

Nutrition Information

Calories 817kcal (41%) Carbohydrates 71g (24%) Protein 36g (72%) Fat 43g (66%) Saturated Fat 23g (115%) Cholesterol 109mg (36%) Sodium 1253mg (52%) Potassium 432mg (12%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 7g (14%) Vitamin A 992IU (20%) Vitamin C 20mg (22%) Calcium 663mg (66%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 817

% Daily Value*

Calories 817kcal 41%
Carbohydrates 71g 24%
Protein 36g 72%
Fat 43g 66%
Saturated Fat 23g 115%
Cholesterol 109mg 36%
Sodium 1253mg 52%
Potassium 432mg 9%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 7g 14%
Vitamin A 992IU 20%
Vitamin C 20mg 22%
Calcium 663mg 66%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.