Honey Chipotle Chicken Mac n Cheese
Get ready to indulge in a bowl of pure comfort with our Honey Chipotle Chicken Mac n Cheese! This creamy delight combines tender chicken, a hint of smoky chipotle, and a drizzle of sweet honey for a flavor explosion that packs a whopping 60g of protein. Elevate your mac and cheese game to new heights—your taste buds will thank you!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
5
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 5🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- Lots of Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp Minced Garlic (30 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1100g Boneless Chicken Thighs, fat trimmed and cubed (2.42 lbs)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(5)
- 300ml Fat Free Evaporated Milk or Skimmed Milk (10.1 fl oz)
- 40g Light Butter (for cooking) (2.8 tbsp)
- 20g Light Butter (to toast spices) (1.4 tbsp)
- 180g Light Cream Cheese (6.35 oz)
- 100g Low Fat Cheddar (3.53 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 50g Honey (1.76 oz)
- 260g Uncooked Macaroni (9.18 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(9)
- 1.5 Tsp Cumin (7.5 ml)
- 2.5 Tsp Garlic Powder (12.5 ml)
- 1.5 Tsp Garlic powder (7.5 ml)
- 1.5 Tsp Onion Powder (7.5 ml)
- 3 Tsp Oregano (15 ml)
- 2 Tsp Salt (10 ml)
- 1 Tsp Salt (5 ml)
- 2.5 Tsp Smoked Paprika (12.5 ml)
- 1.5 Tsp Smoked Paprika (7.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(2)
- 100g Chipotle Hot Sauce (Brand: Cholula) (3.53 oz)
- 100g Cholula Chipotle Hot Sauce (3.53 oz)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Slice chicken thighs into cubes, season with salt, oregano, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, and olive oil. Mix well and let marinate for a few minutes.
- 2
Get a pot of water to boil, add uncooked macaroni, boil for 8 minutes then drain water and set aside.
- 3
In a pan on medium heat, melt butter. Cook marinated chicken for 5 mins each side until golden and crispy.
- 4
Lower the heat before adding extra butter, minced garlic, honey, chipotle hot sauce, and parsley. Mix well until fully coated then set aside.
- 5
In the same pan on low heat, add spices, toast for 30 seconds. Then add milk, chipotle hot sauce, and cream cheese. Stir until all is melted and smooth then add cheddar cheese.
- 6
Stir until creamy and cheesy, add macaroni with parsley then mix until fully combined and silky smooth!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Boil the macaroni to only 80% doneness (about 8 minutes for most brands, check package time and subtract 2 minutes) since it will continue absorbing moisture and softening when mixed into the hot cheese sauce.timing8 minutes, 2 min under package time
- ✓Cube chicken thighs into uniform 1-inch pieces before marinating so the salt and spices penetrate evenly via osmosis, and so every piece finishes cooking at the same 5-minutes-per-side mark without some pieces drying out.technique1-inch cubes, 5 min per side
- ✓Toast the dry spices in butter for exactly 30 seconds before adding liquid because heat unlocks fat-soluble flavor compounds in paprika and cumin, but beyond 45 seconds the compounds start to burn and turn bitter.technique30 seconds
- ✓Add the cream cheese and shredded cheddar off direct high heat, keeping the pan at low heat (around 150-160°F), since cheese proteins will seize and separate into a greasy, grainy sauce above 165°F.ingredient150-160°F
- ✓Shred cheddar off the block yourself rather than using pre-shredded bags, since the anti-caking starch coating on packaged shreds blocks smooth melting and can leave your sauce gritty instead of silky.ingredient0% anti-caking coating
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
5
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Honey Chipotle Chicken Mac n Cheese
Get ready to indulge in a bowl of pure comfort with our Honey Chipotle Chicken Mac n Cheese! This creamy delight combines tender chicken, a hint of smoky chipotle, and a drizzle of sweet honey for a flavor explosion that packs a whopping 60g of protein. Elevate your mac and cheese game to new heights—your taste buds will thank you!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 5🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- Lots of Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp Minced Garlic (30 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1100g Boneless Chicken Thighs, fat trimmed and cubed (2.42 lbs)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(5)
- 300ml Fat Free Evaporated Milk or Skimmed Milk (10.1 fl oz)
- 40g Light Butter (for cooking) (2.8 tbsp)
- 20g Light Butter (to toast spices) (1.4 tbsp)
- 180g Light Cream Cheese (6.35 oz)
- 100g Low Fat Cheddar (3.53 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 50g Honey (1.76 oz)
- 260g Uncooked Macaroni (9.18 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(9)
- 1.5 Tsp Cumin (7.5 ml)
- 2.5 Tsp Garlic Powder (12.5 ml)
- 1.5 Tsp Garlic powder (7.5 ml)
- 1.5 Tsp Onion Powder (7.5 ml)
- 3 Tsp Oregano (15 ml)
- 2 Tsp Salt (10 ml)
- 1 Tsp Salt (5 ml)
- 2.5 Tsp Smoked Paprika (12.5 ml)
- 1.5 Tsp Smoked Paprika (7.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(2)
- 100g Chipotle Hot Sauce (Brand: Cholula) (3.53 oz)
- 100g Cholula Chipotle Hot Sauce (3.53 oz)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Slice chicken thighs into cubes, season with salt, oregano, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, and olive oil. Mix well and let marinate for a few minutes.
- 2
Get a pot of water to boil, add uncooked macaroni, boil for 8 minutes then drain water and set aside.
- 3
In a pan on medium heat, melt butter. Cook marinated chicken for 5 mins each side until golden and crispy.
- 4
Lower the heat before adding extra butter, minced garlic, honey, chipotle hot sauce, and parsley. Mix well until fully coated then set aside.
- 5
In the same pan on low heat, add spices, toast for 30 seconds. Then add milk, chipotle hot sauce, and cream cheese. Stir until all is melted and smooth then add cheddar cheese.
- 6
Stir until creamy and cheesy, add macaroni with parsley then mix until fully combined and silky smooth!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Boil the macaroni to only 80% doneness (about 8 minutes for most brands, check package time and subtract 2 minutes) since it will continue absorbing moisture and softening when mixed into the hot cheese sauce.timing8 minutes, 2 min under package time
- ✓Cube chicken thighs into uniform 1-inch pieces before marinating so the salt and spices penetrate evenly via osmosis, and so every piece finishes cooking at the same 5-minutes-per-side mark without some pieces drying out.technique1-inch cubes, 5 min per side
- ✓Toast the dry spices in butter for exactly 30 seconds before adding liquid because heat unlocks fat-soluble flavor compounds in paprika and cumin, but beyond 45 seconds the compounds start to burn and turn bitter.technique30 seconds
- ✓Add the cream cheese and shredded cheddar off direct high heat, keeping the pan at low heat (around 150-160°F), since cheese proteins will seize and separate into a greasy, grainy sauce above 165°F.ingredient150-160°F
- ✓Shred cheddar off the block yourself rather than using pre-shredded bags, since the anti-caking starch coating on packaged shreds blocks smooth melting and can leave your sauce gritty instead of silky.ingredient0% anti-caking coating