Honey BBQ Chicken Bites with Mac & Cheese

Crispy honey BBQ chicken bites paired with ultra-creamy three-cheese mac & cheese

Ultra-crispy honey BBQ chicken bites paired with the creamiest three-cheese mac & cheese - the ultimate comfort food combo perfect for holiday gatherings.

92Min

6Servings

1250Cal

MediumLevel

Kid friendly

#comfort food#fried chicken#mac and cheese#bbq#holiday#thanksgiving

Equipment

Chef's knife

Cutting board

Mixing bowl

Large pot

Colander

Large frying pan

Stovetop

Oven

Baking dish

Tongs

Mixing spoon

Whisk

Ingredients

Chicken

chicken tenders (cut into bite-size pieces)

800 g

buttermilk

120 ml

hot sauce

60 ml

salt

5 g

black pepper

3 g

garlic powder

3 g

onion powder

3 g

paprika

3 g

cayenne pepper

1 g

all-purpose flour

125 g

cornstarch

8 g

Mac & Cheese

butter

28 g

garlic (minced)

10 g

all-purpose flour

8 g

heavy cream

240 ml

cream cheese

113 g

evaporated milk

355 ml

sharp cheddar cheese

227 g

colby jack cheese

227 g

mozzarella cheese

454 g

salt

3 g

onion powder

2 g

white pepper

2 g

elbow macaroni (cooked)

454 g

pasta water

60 ml

BBQ Coating

butter

28 g

BBQ sauce

120 ml

honey

60 ml

Instructions

Prepare chicken marinade

Cut chicken tenders into bite-size pieces and marinate in seasoned buttermilk mixture.

10 min

Marinate at least 15 minutes for best flavor

Prepare dry coating

Mix flour and cornstarch with seasonings for the crispy coating.

5 min

Cornstarch creates extra crispy texture

Cook macaroni

Cook elbow macaroni in salted water until al dente, reserve pasta water.

10 minHigh heattimer 10 min

Save pasta water before draining - starch helps sauce thicken

Make cheese sauce

Create rich cheese sauce with butter, garlic, flour, cream, and three cheeses.

15 minMedium heattimer 5 min

Stir constantly to prevent lumps and ensure smooth sauce

Assemble mac & cheese

Combine cooked pasta with cheese sauce and layer with remaining cheese.

5 min

Layer cheese between pasta for extra cheesy pockets

Coat chicken pieces

Dredge marinated chicken pieces in seasoned flour mixture.

10 min

Let coated chicken rest 5 minutes for better coating adhesion

Fry chicken bites

Fry chicken pieces until golden and crispy on all sides.

12 minMedium-high heattimer 12 min

Don't overcrowd the pan - fry in batches for even cooking

Prepare BBQ honey coating

Melt butter and combine with BBQ sauce and honey for the glaze.

3 minLow heat

Heat just until combined - don't let it boil

Coat chicken in BBQ sauce

Toss hot fried chicken pieces in the honey BBQ sauce mixture.

2 min

Toss while chicken is hot so sauce clings better

Bake mac & cheese

Bake assembled mac & cheese at 175°C for 20 minutes until bubbly.

20 min175°Ctimer 20 min

Broil for 1 minute at the end for golden cheese top

Original recipe

TikTokRecipe by @Mex

Storage

Fridge: 3 days

Freezer: 60 days

Reheat: Microwave 3-4 minutes or oven at 175°C for 10-12 minutes

Store chicken and mac & cheese separately. Reheat mac & cheese with a splash of milk to restore creaminess. Chicken can be reheated in air fryer for crispiness.

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