Why You’ll Love This this Decadently Creamy Homestyle Chicken Mac & Cheese
This chicken mac and cheese delivers the kind of comfort food magic that makes your kitchen smell like pure happiness, with tender pasta shells swimming in a ridiculously creamy cheddar sauce that’ll have you questioning why you ever bothered with the boxed stuff.
The addition of seasoned chicken transforms this from a simple side dish into a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs main course that actually feels like a complete meal, not just carbs pretending to be dinner.
That buttery, crunchy parmesan crouton topping creates the perfect textural contrast – because to be frank, mac and cheese without some kind of crispy top is just sad, naked pasta sitting in a casserole dish.
Ingredients List
Here’s everything you need to create this ridiculously satisfying chicken mac and cheese that’ll make your whole house smell like comfort food heaven.
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 6 cups water
- Canola oil
- 1 lb shell pasta
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 lbs shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 lb butter
- 1 cup fat-free half-and-half
- 2 cups Rothbury Farms fat free croutons
- 1/4 small yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons white flour
- Salt and pepper
Ingredient Health Considerations:
- This recipe uses fat-free half-and-half and fat-free croutons, which cuts down on some calories without sacrificing that creamy, indulgent texture we’re all craving
- Two pounds of cheddar cheese means this isn’t exactly a light dinner, but hey, sometimes your soul needs cheese therapy
- The chicken adds protein to balance out all those carbs, so you’re getting actual nutrition alongside the comfort food ambiance
- Using shell pasta instead of elbow macaroni gives you more surface area for cheese adhesion, which is basically just smart engineering disguised as dinner
Step by Step Directions
Follow these straightforward steps to create a rich, cheesy chicken mac and cheese that’s perfect for feeding a crowd.
- Bring 6 cups water to boil in a large pot with a pinch of salt and a few drops of canola oil.
- Cook shell pasta in boiling water for 5-6 minutes until tender.
- Drain pasta, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- Cook chicken breasts and cut into bite-sized pieces (set aside).
- Melt butter in a large pan and sauté diced onion and minced garlic until fragrant.
- Remove 4 tablespoons of the melted butter and reserve for topping.
- Add white flour to remaining butter in pan and reduce heat to low.
- Gradually whisk in fat-free half-and-half until smooth.
- Add shredded cheddar cheese and stir until completely melted.
- Mix in cooked pasta and chicken pieces.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place croutons in a ziplock bag and crush into powder using a rolling pin.
- Mix crushed croutons with reserved butter and parmesan cheese.
- Transfer pasta mixture to a greased 9×13 baking pan.
- Sprinkle crouton and cheese mixture evenly over the top.
- Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes or until topping is golden brown.
For even better mixing results, consider using a professional stand mixer to combine your cheese sauce and pasta more thoroughly.
Substitutions and Variations
• Veggie additions – Frozen peas, diced bell peppers, or broccoli florets bulk this up and add color.
Just toss them in with the pasta and nobody complains about eating vegetables.
- Spice it up – A dash of hot sauce in the cheese mixture or some diced jalapeños give this comfort food a little kick without overwhelming the kids.
- Make it lighter – Greek yogurt can replace some of the cheese, though the texture changes slightly.
Still tastes good, just different.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
This hearty mac and cheese practically begs for some fresh, crisp sides to balance out all that creamy goodness.
- Simple green salad – Something light with vinaigrette cuts through the richness perfectly, and honestly, after all that cheese, your stomach will thank you for the greens.
- Roasted vegetables – Brussels sprouts, asparagus, or green beans roasted with a little olive oil and garlic make you feel like you’re being responsible while still indulging.
- Crusty bread – Because apparently we’re not getting enough carbs already, but warm bread with butter is never wrong alongside comfort food.
- Steamed broccoli – The classic pairing that somehow makes the whole meal feel more legitimate, plus the kids might actually eat their vegetables if there’s mac and cheese involved.
- Fresh fruit salad – A light, sweet finish that cleanses the palate after all that cheesy heaven, and it’s pretty much the only dessert you’ll have room for anyway.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
Getting this chicken mac and cheese just right comes down to a few key tricks that’ll save you from culinary disasters and soggy disappointments.
- Don’t overcook those shells – Six minutes max, because they’re going in the oven anyway and nobody wants mushy pasta that falls apart when you look at it wrong.
- Cook your chicken separately first – Season those breasts well, pan-sear them until golden, then slice them up before mixing into the cheese sauce, trust me on this one.
- Make your roux slowly – When you add that flour to the butter, keep stirring constantly over low heat for about two minutes to cook out that raw flour taste that nobody wants.
- Add cheese off the heat – Pull that pan away from the burner before stirring in your cheddar, because high heat turns cheese into a stringy, grainy mess faster than you can say “kitchen nightmare.”
- Reserve some pasta water – Save a cup of that starchy cooking liquid before draining, it’s liquid gold for loosening up thick cheese sauce.
- Let it rest before serving – Give this beauty about five minutes after it comes out of the oven, the sauce needs time to settle and thicken up properly.
- Crush those croutons in a sealed bag – Way less mess than trying to pulverize them in bowls, and you get more even crumbs for that perfect crunchy topping.
Nutritional Facts
This hearty chicken mac and cheese packs substantial calories and protein, making it a filling comfort food that serves about 8-10 people.
- Calories per serving: Approximately 650-750 calories (based on 8 servings)
- Protein: About 35-40 grams per serving from chicken, cheese, and pasta
- Carbohydrates: Around 45-50 grams primarily from shell pasta and half-and-half
- Fat content: Approximately 35-40 grams, mostly from cheddar cheese and butter
- Sodium: High sodium content (800-1000mg per serving) due to cheese and processed ingredients
- Calcium: Excellent source with 400-500mg per serving from dairy ingredients
- Fiber: Moderate fiber content (2-3 grams) from pasta and small amount of vegetables
- Cholesterol: Approximately 120-140mg per serving from chicken, cheese, and butter
- Saturated fat: About 20-25 grams per serving, primarily from cheese and dairy
- Iron: Good source providing 10-15% daily value from pasta and chicken
- Vitamin A: Moderate amounts from cheese and butter
- Lower fat option: Using fat-free half-and-half reduces overall calorie and fat content compared to traditional versions
Fun “Did You Know?”
Beyond the impressive nutritional profile, this beloved comfort dish has some fascinating stories behind its ingredients.
Did you know macaroni and cheese originated in Italy but became America’s ultimate comfort food through Thomas Jefferson? He fell in love with it in Paris and served it at White House dinners.
Shell pasta’s ridges weren’t just for looks—they’re engineered to trap cheese sauce perfectly. Cheddar cheese takes at least 60 days to age properly, and butter was once so valuable it was used as currency.
Even those humble croutons started as medieval bread-saving techniques to prevent waste.
