Description
Creamy, cheesy, and loaded with tender chicken — this Chicken Mac and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food for family dinners! 🐔🧀
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz elbow macaroni
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (optional)
- 2 tbsp melted butter (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour for 1–2 minutes to make a roux.
- Gradually whisk in milk and cream until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Stir in cheddar, mozzarella, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper until creamy.
- Add cooked chicken and pasta to the cheese sauce, mixing until combined.
- Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Optionally, sprinkle panko breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter on top.
- Bake 20–25 minutes until bubbly and golden. Serve hot!
Notes
💡 Tip: Use rotisserie chicken for a quick and easy version. Add cooked bacon or caramelized onions for extra flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Pasta, Comfort Food, Chicken Recipes
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
Keywords: chicken mac and cheese, baked mac and cheese with chicken, cheesy chicken pasta, comfort food