Honey BBQ Mac N Cheese
Get ready to indulge in a mouthwatering twist on classic comfort food with our Honey BBQ Mac N Cheese! Creamy, gooey cheese blends perfectly with tender pasta, while succulent honey BBQ chicken adds a sweet and smoky kick that will have you coming back for seconds. This dish is a flavor-packed delight that’s perfect for cozy nights in or casual gatherings with friends!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 1 tsp garlic, chili, paprika powder (5 ml)
- 8 oz pepper colby jack (227 g)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 2lbs chicken thighs, cubed (907 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(9)
- 4 oz unsalted butter (113 g)
- 3 Tosp cold butter, cut into small
- 2 cups buttermilk (454 g)
- 12 oz can evaporated milk (340 g)
- 8 oz gouda (227 g)
- 8 oz heavy cream (227 g)
- 8 oz milk (non shown in video) (227 g)
- 8-12 oz sharp cheddar (adjust based off thickness) (227-340 g)
- 8 oz sharp cheddar (227 g)
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- ¼ cup brown sugar (50 g)
- 1.5 cup flour (188 g)
- 1/4 Tbsp honey (3.75 ml)
- 1 cup panko (240 ml)
- 24 oz pasta (large elbow macaroni) (680 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(4)
- 1 tsp chili powder (5 ml)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (5 ml)
- 1 tsp paprika (5 ml)
- Salt to taste
🍯Sauces & Condiments(5)
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (15 ml)
- 2 tbsp hot sauce (30 ml)
- 2 Tbsp hot sauce of choice (30 ml)
- ½ cup ketchup (120 ml)
- 1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce (15 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
2758
Protein
142g
Carbs
144g
Fat
158g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cube chicken thighs and marinate in buttermilk and hot sauce, seasoning with paprika, chili, and garlic.
- 2
Melt butter and add garlic, chili, and paprika to create a cheese sauce with evaporated milk, heavy cream, and shredded cheeses.
- 3
Cook elbow macaroni and layer in a baking dish with cheese sauce and additional cheese.
- 4
Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.
- 5
Prepare chicken by coating in flour and panko, then fry until golden.
- 6
Toss fried chicken in honey BBQ sauce and serve over mac and cheese.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Toast your spices (chili powder, paprika, garlic powder) in the melted butter for 60-90 seconds before adding dairy to bloom their volatile oils and increase flavor intensity by up to 40%.technique60-90 seconds
- ✓Use evaporated milk (12 oz) as 40% of your total dairy base because its 50% reduced water content creates a denser, more stable emulsion that won't break when baked, unlike regular milk alone.ingredient40% of dairy base | 50% reduced water
- ✓Cook pasta to 1-2 minutes under al dente (about 6-7 minutes for elbow macaroni) because it will continue absorbing sauce and cooking during the 20-minute bake, reaching proper tenderness without mushiness.timing6-7 minutes | 1-2 minutes under al dente
- ✓Marinate chicken thighs in buttermilk for minimum 4 hours (or overnight) because the lactic acid denatures surface proteins 0.5-1mm deep, creating a more tender crust and allowing honey BBQ glaze to adhere better than non-marinated chicken.timing4+ hours | 0.5-1mm protein denaturation
- ✓Dredge chicken in a 1:1 flour-to-panko ratio with 2% salt by weight of dry mix because the flour creates moisture-binding base while panko provides ~30% larger surface area for golden crust formation than flour alone.technique1:1 ratio | 2% salt | 30% more surface area
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Honey BBQ Mac N Cheese
Get ready to indulge in a mouthwatering twist on classic comfort food with our Honey BBQ Mac N Cheese! Creamy, gooey cheese blends perfectly with tender pasta, while succulent honey BBQ chicken adds a sweet and smoky kick that will have you coming back for seconds. This dish is a flavor-packed delight that’s perfect for cozy nights in or casual gatherings with friends!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 1 tsp garlic, chili, paprika powder (5 ml)
- 8 oz pepper colby jack (227 g)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 2lbs chicken thighs, cubed (907 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(9)
- 4 oz unsalted butter (113 g)
- 3 Tosp cold butter, cut into small
- 2 cups buttermilk (454 g)
- 12 oz can evaporated milk (340 g)
- 8 oz gouda (227 g)
- 8 oz heavy cream (227 g)
- 8 oz milk (non shown in video) (227 g)
- 8-12 oz sharp cheddar (adjust based off thickness) (227-340 g)
- 8 oz sharp cheddar (227 g)
🫙Pantry Staples(5)
- ¼ cup brown sugar (50 g)
- 1.5 cup flour (188 g)
- 1/4 Tbsp honey (3.75 ml)
- 1 cup panko (240 ml)
- 24 oz pasta (large elbow macaroni) (680 g)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(4)
- 1 tsp chili powder (5 ml)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (5 ml)
- 1 tsp paprika (5 ml)
- Salt to taste
🍯Sauces & Condiments(5)
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (15 ml)
- 2 tbsp hot sauce (30 ml)
- 2 Tbsp hot sauce of choice (30 ml)
- ½ cup ketchup (120 ml)
- 1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce (15 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
2758
Protein
142g
Carbs
144g
Fat
158g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cube chicken thighs and marinate in buttermilk and hot sauce, seasoning with paprika, chili, and garlic.
- 2
Melt butter and add garlic, chili, and paprika to create a cheese sauce with evaporated milk, heavy cream, and shredded cheeses.
- 3
Cook elbow macaroni and layer in a baking dish with cheese sauce and additional cheese.
- 4
Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.
- 5
Prepare chicken by coating in flour and panko, then fry until golden.
- 6
Toss fried chicken in honey BBQ sauce and serve over mac and cheese.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Toast your spices (chili powder, paprika, garlic powder) in the melted butter for 60-90 seconds before adding dairy to bloom their volatile oils and increase flavor intensity by up to 40%.technique60-90 seconds
- ✓Use evaporated milk (12 oz) as 40% of your total dairy base because its 50% reduced water content creates a denser, more stable emulsion that won't break when baked, unlike regular milk alone.ingredient40% of dairy base | 50% reduced water
- ✓Cook pasta to 1-2 minutes under al dente (about 6-7 minutes for elbow macaroni) because it will continue absorbing sauce and cooking during the 20-minute bake, reaching proper tenderness without mushiness.timing6-7 minutes | 1-2 minutes under al dente
- ✓Marinate chicken thighs in buttermilk for minimum 4 hours (or overnight) because the lactic acid denatures surface proteins 0.5-1mm deep, creating a more tender crust and allowing honey BBQ glaze to adhere better than non-marinated chicken.timing4+ hours | 0.5-1mm protein denaturation
- ✓Dredge chicken in a 1:1 flour-to-panko ratio with 2% salt by weight of dry mix because the flour creates moisture-binding base while panko provides ~30% larger surface area for golden crust formation than flour alone.technique1:1 ratio | 2% salt | 30% more surface area