Spicy Baked Mac and Cheese with Chicken
This homemade mac and cheese recipe is cooked with a spicy chicken mixture and a creamy béchamel sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1/2 red bell pepper diced
- 1 jalapeno diced
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 2 teaspoons chili sauce Sriarcha or similar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder divided
- 2 cups milk
- 1 stick butter
- 1 tbsp flour
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 cups macaroni (Dry) cooked according to package
- 10 Crackers crushed
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan.
- Add the onions, peppers, and chicken and cook until chicken is no longer pink and veggies are soft and fragrant.
- Add salt (to taste), 1/2 tsp of chili powder, and chili sauce and cook for about 2-3 minutes until all the chicken is coated.
- Switch the heat off and set aside.
Directions for Béchamel Sauce:
- Melt the butter over low heat.
- As soon as the butter melts, slowly add the flour and whisk until smooth and there are no longer any lumps.
- Now add the milk very slowly and stir again very vigorously.
- Continue to slowly add the milk as you whisk.
- Let the sauce cook and simmer for 7-8 minutes or until it becomes thick. Don't forget to stir, and don't let it boil over.
- Add a little salt, pepper, 1 cup cheddar cheese, and 1/2 tsp chili powder while it's cooking.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the chicken mixture and cooked macaroni.
- Pour pasta into a sprayed 9x13 baking dish .
- Top with 1 cup of cheese and crushed crackers.
- Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and crackers are browned.
Notes
** If preparing a head, refrigerate then bake a little longer until hot throughout.
**If freezing, cook according to instructions and BEFORE baking- cover with foil and freeze. Thaw and bake or can bake from frozen, too!