Description
A delightful twist on classic mac and cheese, enhanced with crispy honey pepper chicken, creamy cheeses, and a touch of sweetness and spice.
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz box spiral noodles
- 1 25 oz. bag breaded chicken strips
- 5 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 tsp dried Basil
- 3/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3 Tbs low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbs vinegar
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 stick butter
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cup freshly shredded colby jack cheese
- 2-3 cloves minced garlic
- Chopped fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Bake or deep fry the chicken strips according to package directions, then set aside.
- Cook Pasta: Boil the spiral noodles in salted water according to package directions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- Make Honey Pepper Sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine honey, light brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, lemon juice, vinegar, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let cool to thicken.
- Create Cheese Sauce: In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the heavy cream. Once combined and heated through, slowly stir in the parmesan, mozzarella, and colby jack cheeses one at a time. Stir in minced garlic until fully incorporated and melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine: Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce, stirring to combine. Toss in the crumbled bacon and mix until evenly distributed.
- Coat Chicken: Dip each chicken strip into the honey pepper sauce until fully coated. Set aside.
- Serve: Dish out the mac and cheese on plates, top with honey-coated chicken strips, sprinkle with chopped basil and additional bacon as desired.
Notes
For a lighter version, substitute half of the heavy cream with low-fat milk or cream cheese. This dish is also great for meal prep and freezes well.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American