Description
Creamy chicken and mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food, combining tender chicken, rich cheese sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta for a satisfying meal everyone will love.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3–4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups elbow macaroni
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Boil water in a large pot and cook the elbow macaroni until al dente according to package instructions.
- Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat and sauté the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from heat and chop into bite-sized pieces.
- In a separate saucepan, melt the remaining butter. Whisk in flour to create a roux, then gradually add milk while stirring until thickened (about 5-7 minutes). Stir in cheddar cheese until melted, then add garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Combine cooked macaroni and chopped chicken in a large bowl. Pour the cheese sauce over the mixture and stir until well combined.
- Transfer to a greased baking dish, sprinkle panko breadcrumbs on top if desired, and bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (240g)
- Calories: 470
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 90mg