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4.56 from 102 votes

Chicken Mac and Cheese

My Chicken Mac and Cheese is perfectly saucy, made with both stretchy mozzarella and sharp cheddar. It's the comfort meal you've been craving! Try is straight out of the pot, or follow my easy additional instructions to bake it.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken mac and cheese
Servings: 6
Calories: 558kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 ounce elbow macaroni or penne, rigatoni, ziti
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound chicken breasts skinless and boneless, cut in small pieces
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper or to taste
  • 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon dried mustard
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

  • Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to keep the pasta from sticking together. Set aside.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until no longer pink and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
  • In the same skillet add the onions and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until aromatic. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and stir. Cook for another minute. Whisk in the milk and dried mustard. Add the mozzarella, cheddar cheese and stir it in. Continue to cook until the cheese has melted.
  • Add the chicken and pasta to the skillet and stir everything together. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary with salt and pepper if needed.
  • Serve garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Optional

  • Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet then add ¾ cup of breadcrumbs to it. Stir it all together and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle crispy breadcrumbs over mac and cheese.

Notes

  1. Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated up to 4 days. You can reheat in the microwave, or covered in the oven at 350F for 10-15 minutes.
  2. Leftovers will also last about 3 months frozen. It'll be much easier to reheat if you let the leftovers thaw overnight in the fridge. Keep in mind freezing cooked pasta can make the texture softer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 558kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 655mg | Potassium: 561mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 640IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 524mg | Iron: 1mg