Honey BBQ Chicken Mac and Cheese
Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta
large elbow macaroni
680 g
Cheese Sauce
unsalted butter
113 g
chili powder
2.5 g
paprika
2.5 g
garlic powder
2.5 g
evaporated milk
340 g
heavy cream
227 g
milk
227 g
pepper colby jack cheese (shredded)
227 g
gouda cheese (shredded)
227 g
sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
283 g
salt
3 g
Layering
pepper colby jack cheese (shredded)
227 g
sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
227 g
Chicken
chicken thighs (cubed)
907 g
buttermilk
480 ml
hot sauce
30 ml
garlic powder
2.5 g
chili powder
2.5 g
paprika
2.5 g
all-purpose flour
188 g
panko breadcrumbs
60 g
Honey BBQ Sauce
ketchup
120 ml
brown sugar
50 g
apple cider vinegar
15 ml
worcestershire sauce
15 ml
hot sauce
30 ml
honey
5 ml
cold butter
42 g
Instructions
Cook the pasta
Cook the large elbow macaroni in salted boiling water until al dente according to package directions.
Prepare cheese sauce base
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat, then add chili powder, paprika, and garlic powder.
Add dairy to cheese sauce
Gradually whisk in evaporated milk, heavy cream, and regular milk until smooth.
Melt cheese into sauce
Add shredded pepper colby jack, gouda, and sharp cheddar cheese gradually, stirring until melted and smooth. Season with salt to taste.
Marinate chicken
Marinate cubed chicken thighs in buttermilk with hot sauce and spices for 15 minutes.
Bread the chicken
Dredge marinated chicken pieces in flour, then in panko breadcrumbs mixed with additional spices.
Fry the chicken
Fry breaded chicken pieces in batches until golden brown and cooked through.
Make honey BBQ sauce
Combine ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and honey in a small saucepan. Heat until sugar dissolves, then stir in cold butter until melted.
Toss chicken in BBQ sauce
Toss fried chicken pieces in the honey BBQ sauce until well coated.
Assemble the mac and cheese
Combine cooked pasta with cheese sauce, then layer half of the pasta mixture in a baking dish. Top with half the layering cheese, then remaining pasta, and finish with remaining layering cheese.
Bake the mac and cheese
Bake in preheated oven at 180°C for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Add chicken and serve
Top baked mac and cheese with honey BBQ chicken pieces and serve immediately.
Original recipe
Storage
Store chicken and pasta separately for best texture when reheating
Your kitchen, together
Try Chopa today
Save recipes, plan meals, and manage your groceries — all in one place.