Best 20 Chicken Mac Cheese Recipes

BUFFALO CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain.
• Cut wings and legs off rotisserie chicken. Skin and bone wings and legs; chop or shred dark meat into bite-size pieces.
• Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Whisk in flour gradually until a thick paste forms. Cook until golden, about 1 minute. Pour in milk, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook until sauce is smooth, about 1 minute more. Reduce heat and season sauce with black pepper.
• Stir Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese into the sauce until melted and combined. Stir in hot sauce, adjusting to reach desired level of spiciness. Add blue cheese, chicken, and macaroni; mix well to combine.

CHICKEN RANCH MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a 6-qt. stockpot, cook macaroni according to package directions for al dente; drain and return to pot., Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth; gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Stir in cheeses until blended. Stir in dressing., Add chicken and sauce to macaroni, tossing to combine. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish., Toss bread crumbs with melted butter; sprinkle over macaroni. Top with bacon. Bake, uncovered, 30-35 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Sprinkle with parsley. Freeze option: Prepare recipe as directed, increasing milk to 1-1/3 cups. Cool unbaked casserole; cover and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Cover casserole with foil; bake 30 minutes. Uncover; continue baking as directed or until heated through and a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°.

MAC AND CHEDDAR CHEESE WITH CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI

Steps:

• Place a pot of water on to boil for macaroni.
• Heat a medium pan over medium to medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and chicken and season with salt and pepper. Saute a couple of minutes then add onion and cook another 5 to 7 minutes until onions are tender and chicken is cooked through. Turn off heat and reserve.
• To boiling pasta water, add pasta and salt to season the cooking water. Cook 5 minutes, then add broccoli and cook 3 minutes more or until pasta is cooked to al dente and florets are just tender.
• While pasta cooks, heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add butter and melt, then add flour, cayenne and paprika and whisk together over heat until roux bubbles then cook a minute more. Whisk in milk and stock and raise heat a little to bring sauce to a quick boil. Simmer sauce to thicken about 5 minutes.
• Drain macaroni or pasta and broccoli florets. Add back to pot and add chicken to the pasta and broccoli.
• Add cheese to milk sauce and stir to melt it in, about a minute or so. Stir in mustard and season sauce with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and broccoli and cooked pasta and stir to combine. Adjust seasonings, transfer to a large serving platter and serve.

CREAMY TUSCAN CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain, then transfer to a large bowl, toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking, and set aside.
• Season the chicken breasts on both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken and cook, flipping halfway, until golden brown on both sides and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C), about 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let cool slightly, then chop into ½-inch cubes.
• In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Carefully pour in the white wine. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then simmer until the liquid has fully evaporated, 2-3 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and stir to incorporate.
• Sprinkle in the flour and stir until the vegetables are fully coated. Cook for 2 minutes, until the flour is golden brown and smells nutty. Add the milk, oregano, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper, and the kale. Cook, stirring often, until the kale has wilted and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Add the mozzarella, white cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses and stir until fully melted and incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add the cooked pasta to the pan and stir until well coated in the sauce. Stir in the chicken.
• Remove the pan from the heat. Sprinkle the mac and cheese with the parsley and serve immediately with more Parmesan cheese for topping.
• Enjoy!

CHILI-CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Drain, rinse under cold water and return to the pot. Toss with 1/4 cup milk. Top with the cheese and chicken (do not stir).
• Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallions, chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add half of the pico de gallo. Cook, stirring, until the scallions soften, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and swirl to melt. Sprinkle in the flour; cook, stirring, until a paste forms, about 1 minute. Gradually stir in the broth and the remaining 1 cup milk. Bring to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 6 minutes.
• Add the sauce to the pot with the pasta. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the cheese melts, about 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup pico de gallo.

SUNNY'S EASY CHIPOTLE CHICKEN BAKED MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• For the chicken and pasta: Remove 4 to 5 chipotle peppers and a bit of adobo sauce from the can and rub it all over the chicken; measure out 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce and set aside for later (reserve any remaining chiles and adobo sauce from the can for another use). Rest the chicken in a bowl or on a plate for 2 hours total, refrigerated first for 1 1/2 hours, then at room temperature for an additional 30 minutes.
• In a large pot, add the garlic, chicken and the chipotle peppers from the marinade. Add just enough water to cover, then bring to a boil on medium high. Once boiling, turn the heat to the lowest setting and poach the chicken until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and rest (reserve the poaching water for cooking the pasta). Fish out the peppers and discard them; place the garlic cloves in a large bowl and smash them with the back of a spoon or your hands. Once the chicken is cool enough to touch, shred it by hand into bite-size pieces.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Use the butter or cooking spray to coat the bottom and sides of a 13-by-9-inch casserole dish.
• In the same pot used to poach the chicken, add more water to the poaching water and a nice pinch of salt and bring the pot back to a boil (watch the water; it may foam up a bit from the poaching process). Add the pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package suggests. Drain the pasta in a colander.
• For the sauce: In the large bowl with the garlic, add the heavy cream, cheese, crema, flour, pepper, scallions, eggs, reserved 2 tablespoons adobo sauce, shredded chicken and cooked pasta. Stir to combine. Pour into the prepared dish.
• For the topping: In a medium bowl, toss together the crushed chips and cheese. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the dish. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top, about 30 minutes.

SOUTHWEST MAC & CHEESE WITH OPTIONAL CHICKEN

Steps:

• Boil the pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking, and return to the pan you boiled it in. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Set out six individual, oven-safe ramekins or gratin dishes for individual servings, two 5"x8" baking dishes if you're cooking up one dish with meat and one without, or an 8"x8"/two-quart baking dish if cooking it all in one big batch.
• In a medium bowl, toss together the cheddar, monterey jack, and Parmesan cheeses. Set aside.
• Over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour, salt, dry mustard, chili powder, pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika. Stir constantly over medium heat for about three minutes.
• Slowly whisk in the milk. Continuing over medium heat, whisk frequently for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens (as the sauce gets thicker, I recommend going from frequent stirs to constant stirs to help avoid burning).
• Remove from heat, and stir in 2 cups of the cheese. Continue stirring until cheese is melted, then add the green chilies and corn. Stir until combined. Select your version from the options below to continue.

BROCCOLI AND CHICKEN BAKED MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Heat about 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan over Medium/High heat. Add chicken to the pan and saute until done, seasoning with salt and pepper if preferred.
• If broccoli florets are not already cooked and chopped, do this now. You can buy frozen chopped broccoli to save time.
• Add chicken and broccoli to the already cooked macaroni pasta. Toss to make sure it is well mixed.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cheddar cheese soup, evaporated milk, sour cream, milk, Parmesan and seasoned salt. Add the butter after everything else is mixed.
• Cover with plastic wrap and cut a few slits in the top to vent.
• Microwave for 4 minutes to melt butter and heat the rest of the soup mixture. Make sure butter is melted when finished. If not, stir and microwave for another minute or two.
• To assemble the macaroni, layer 1/2 of the macaroni/chicken/broccoli mixture in the bottom of a sprayed 9x13 glass baking dish. Top with half of the cheese soup mixture. Top with half of the shredded cheese.
• Repeat all three layers one more time.
• Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until the edges are bubbly and the cheese on top is melted. If the top is already browned, skip the next step.
• Turn oven to BROIL and allow macaroni to remain in the oven for 5 minutes until the cheese on top is lightly browned. You may even want to keep the oven door open a crack to watch the top and make sure it doesn't burn.
• You can make this a day or two ahead of time, cover with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until you are ready to bake it. Just remove it from the fridge about 45 minutes before baking so it comes up to room temperature and cooks evenly.

CHICKEN-AND-BROCCOLINI MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 3-quart broiler-proof baking dish with oil. Bring milk to a simmer in a pot. Add chicken; simmer until cooked, 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Remove pot from heat; whisk in mustard and cream cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
• Shred chicken. Cook noodles in a pot of boiling salted water 3 minutes. Add Broccolini; cook until noodles and Broccolini are al dente, 2 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain noodles and Broccolini; toss with chicken, sauce, pasta water, and cheddar. Transfer to baking dish.
• Toss breadcrumbs with oil; sprinkle over casserole. Cover with parchment-lined foil; bake 20 minutes. Uncover casserole; increase heat to broil. Cook until top is golden brown in places and breadcrumbs are crisp, 4 to 5 minutes.

FLORENTINE MAC AND CHEESE AND ROAST CHICKEN SAUSAGE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. When it comes to a boil, salt it and add the pasta to cook to al dente. Strain pasta reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
• While the water is coming to a boil, in a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, salt and pepper, rosemary, fennel seeds, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano - a rounded handful, egg and bread crumbs. *If the mixture seems too wet, add a handful of bread crumbs and mix together.
• Form 8 large round balls, about 3 to 4-inches. Coat balls in a couple of tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and lightly grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange balls on the baking sheet and roast 17 to 18 minutes until juices run clear.
• Defrost spinach in microwave 8 to 10 minutes on "defrost" setting depending on the microwave. Place the boxes in a shallow dish to catch any run off.
• While the meatballs roast, in a medium sauce pot over medium heat, melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and thicken 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 cup grated Parmigiano and reduce heat on lowest setting.
• Wring spinach completely dry in clean kitchen towel then separate as you add it to the sauce. Also add the reserved 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
• Toss pasta with the spinach-white sauce and adjust seasonings.
• Serve Florentine Mac-n-Cheese with 2 meatballs per person along side.

CHICKEN AND SPINACH MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, place the chicken skin in a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat, being careful to keep the skin as flat as possible. Cook, flipping over halfway, for about 2 minutes, until the skin is crisp and the fat has rendered out. Remove the skin from the pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and wilt for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Remove the spinach from the pan and set aside.
• To the same pan, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and melt over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture is free of any lumps and light tan in color, about 1 minute. Lower the heat to medium, slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly, and cook until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the cheese, whisking to combine, and cook until it is melted and the sauce is smooth. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the chicken stock, lemon juice, yellow mustard and hot sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
• Add the drained pasta, wilted spinach and pulled chicken to the sauce. Stir to combine. Crumble the crispy chicken skin on top and serve immediately.

EASY MAC AND CHEESE VEGGIE CHICKEN CASSEROLE FROM COUNTRY CROCK®

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine 3 tablespoons Country Crock® Spread, milk, rotini, chicken, vegetables and cheddar cheese in 8-inch baking dish.
• Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and remaining Spread in small bowl; sprinkle over top of casserole.
• Bake until heated through and crumbs are toasted, about 30 minutes.

GARLIC CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Prepare a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Cook chicken in skillet until no longer pink in the center, 5 to 7 minutes; season with 1 tablespoon garlic powder and transfer to a baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes; drain and mix with chicken in the baking dish.
• Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook flour in melted butter until the flour is cooked and the mixture forms a roux, about 5 minutes. Stream milk into the pot while stirring to mix with the roux completely; cook until just about simmering, about 5 minutes more. Add Cheddar cheese in small amounts to the sauce and stir to melt completely before adding the next portion; cook and stir until thick and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken and macaroni; stir to coat.
• Melt 1/4 cup butter in the skillet in which you cooked the chicken over medium heat. Stir remaining tablespoon garlic powder into the melted butter; cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir crushed crackers into the butter mixture to coat; spread over the chicken and macaroni mixture in the baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven until the topping is crispy, 35 to 45 minutes.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE WITH BACON BREAD CRUMBS #RSC

Steps:

• Preheat oven 350.
• Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sweat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sweat for 1 minute or until the onions are translucent. Using a wooden spoon stir in the flour until fully incorporated. Slowly add the chicken stock, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to almost low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• While the mixture is simmering heat a sauté pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until it is almost smoking. Add chicken, season with salt and cook until browned on all sides and cooked through. Add chipotle peppers with 2 tbsp adobo and toss to coat. Toss the chicken with the cooked macaroni and put in a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.
• To finish the cheese sauce bring half and half to a gentle simmer and slowly mix in to roux. Add the ranch, cheddar, and 2 tbsp adobo and mix to combine. Season with salt to taste. Add cheese sauce to the baking dish and mix to combine with macaroni and chicken. Sprinkle with bacon bread crumbs and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. (If desired after baking use the broiler to achieve a more brown and crisp top).
• For bacon bread crumbs cook bacon till crispy, allow to cool, and then finely mince. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and toss to mix. Bacon bread crumbs can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

MAC AND CHEESE WITH CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI

Steps:

• Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Brush both sides with olive oil. Grill until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Dice chicken and set aside. Cook broccoli in medium pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
• Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually mix in cream. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add both cheeses and stir until sauce is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add pasta, chicken, and broccoli to sauce; mix well. Garnish with chives and serve.

CHICKEN MAC & CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions, adding broccoli during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Drain., Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, onion, salt and pepper; cook and stir 6-8 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from pan., In same pan, melt butter. Stir in flour, paprika and cayenne until smooth; gradually whisk in milk and broth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheese and mustard until cheese is melted., Add macaroni mixture and chicken to sauce. Heat through, stirring to combine.

BUFFALO CHICKEN MAC 'N' CHEESE

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the chicken in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Toss with the hot sauce, celery salt, 4 tablespoons melted butter and black pepper to taste. Bake until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
• Shred the chicken and transfer to a medium bowl, along with any juices from the baking dish. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and set aside. Wipe out the baking dish with a paper towel and brush with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a medium skillet over medium heat, melt 6 tablespoons butter. Add the panko and cayenne and season with some salt. Saute until deeply golden, stirring constantly, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the thyme. Stir to combine and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Add the pasta and cook to slightly less than al dente, about 3 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain.
• In a medium pot over medium heat, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. When the foaming subsides, add the celery and onion. Cook until softened, 4 minutes. Add the flour and stir to coat. Continue to cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually add the milk, whisking continuously, and bring to a simmer. Add the Cheddar, gruyere and Parmigiano-Reggiano and whisk until the cheeses are melted and the sauce is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to coat evenly. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Top with the chicken mixture and half of the blue cheese. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and bake until bubbling around the edges and completely warmed through, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Top with the remaining crumbles of blue cheese and celery leaves. Serve immediately.

BUTTER CHICKEN MAC 'N' CHEESE RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat until melted.
• Add the chicken, salt, and pepper. Fry for about 5-8 minutes or until cooked through. Take out and set aside.
• Add the onion and fry for 2 minutes.
• Stir in the flour.
• Gradually whisk in the milk.
• Whisk in the butter chicken sauce.
• Whisk in the mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
• Once the cheese has melted into the mixture, stir in the chicken and elbow pasta.
• Sprinkle on some more cheese on top.
• Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, until the cheese is brown and bubbling on top.
• Garnish with coriander.
• Enjoy!

KING RANCH CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE - (4.7/5)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Melt butter in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in tomatoes and green chilies and Velveeta; cook, stirring constantly 2 minutes, or until cheese melts. Stir in chicken, next 4 ingredients, and hot cooked pasta until blended. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly.

MAC AND CHEESE WITH CHICKEN, TOMATO AND BASIL

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a large baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water.
• 2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, until blended and pale yellow. Whisk in the milk, then season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring until thickened and smooth. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the Asiago and 1 cup Parmesan.
• 3. Combine the macaroni, sauce, tomatoes, and basil in a large bowl. Add the chicken and stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into the baking dish.
• 4. Mix the panko with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until heated through and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.