Chipotle Chicken Mac and Cheese
Get ready to elevate your mac and cheese game with this zesty Chipotle Chicken Mac and Cheese! Packed with protein-rich chicken, creamy cheese, and a smoky chipotle kick, this dish is not only delicious but also a fantastic option for meal prepping. Whip it up in no time and enjoy a comforting bowl of flavor that keeps you fueled throughout the week!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- chipotle peppers
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- chicken
🥛Dairy & Eggs(5)
- light butter
- fat-free cheddar
- whipped cream cheese
- skim milk
- low-fat mozzarella
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- flour
- protein noodles
📦Other(1)
- spices and seasonings
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook your protein noodles according to the directions.
- 2
In your blender, add skim milk and chipotle peppers and blend until smooth.
- 3
In a pot, melt light butter and whisk in flour.
- 4
Add the blended milk mixture to the pot and mix until combined.
- 5
Stir in whipped cream cheese, fat-free cheddar, low-fat mozzarella, and spices until the cheese melts.
- 6
Add cooked chicken and noodles, mix well, and enjoy.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook a roux of butter and flour to a pale blond stage for exactly 90 seconds before adding liquid, as this fully hydrates the starch granules and cooks off the raw flour taste while preserving thickening power.technique90 seconds
- ✓Temper the chipotle-milk blend by warming it to around 110°F before adding to the roux, since a large temperature gap between cold liquid and hot roux causes the flour to seize into lumps instead of dispersing smoothly.technique110°F
- ✓Remove the pot from heat before stirring in the fat-free cheddar and low-fat mozzarella, then add them gradually in small handfuls, because low-fat cheeses have less fat to buffer protein bonds and will break into a grainy, oil-separated mess above 165°F.ingredientbelow 165°F
- ✓Undercook your pasta by 1-2 minutes short of package directions since it will continue absorbing liquid and softening once mixed into the hot cheese sauce, preventing mushy noodles by the time you serve.timing1-2 minutes
- ✓Whisk the whipped cream cheese in first before the harder low-fat cheeses, as its higher moisture content and looser structure help create a stable emulsified base that the leaner cheeses can melt into more evenly.techniqueadd first
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Chipotle Chicken Mac and Cheese
Get ready to elevate your mac and cheese game with this zesty Chipotle Chicken Mac and Cheese! Packed with protein-rich chicken, creamy cheese, and a smoky chipotle kick, this dish is not only delicious but also a fantastic option for meal prepping. Whip it up in no time and enjoy a comforting bowl of flavor that keeps you fueled throughout the week!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- chipotle peppers
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- chicken
🥛Dairy & Eggs(5)
- light butter
- fat-free cheddar
- whipped cream cheese
- skim milk
- low-fat mozzarella
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- flour
- protein noodles
📦Other(1)
- spices and seasonings
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook your protein noodles according to the directions.
- 2
In your blender, add skim milk and chipotle peppers and blend until smooth.
- 3
In a pot, melt light butter and whisk in flour.
- 4
Add the blended milk mixture to the pot and mix until combined.
- 5
Stir in whipped cream cheese, fat-free cheddar, low-fat mozzarella, and spices until the cheese melts.
- 6
Add cooked chicken and noodles, mix well, and enjoy.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook a roux of butter and flour to a pale blond stage for exactly 90 seconds before adding liquid, as this fully hydrates the starch granules and cooks off the raw flour taste while preserving thickening power.technique90 seconds
- ✓Temper the chipotle-milk blend by warming it to around 110°F before adding to the roux, since a large temperature gap between cold liquid and hot roux causes the flour to seize into lumps instead of dispersing smoothly.technique110°F
- ✓Remove the pot from heat before stirring in the fat-free cheddar and low-fat mozzarella, then add them gradually in small handfuls, because low-fat cheeses have less fat to buffer protein bonds and will break into a grainy, oil-separated mess above 165°F.ingredientbelow 165°F
- ✓Undercook your pasta by 1-2 minutes short of package directions since it will continue absorbing liquid and softening once mixed into the hot cheese sauce, preventing mushy noodles by the time you serve.timing1-2 minutes
- ✓Whisk the whipped cream cheese in first before the harder low-fat cheeses, as its higher moisture content and looser structure help create a stable emulsified base that the leaner cheeses can melt into more evenly.techniqueadd first