Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese
Cheesy baked pasta with optional crispy chicken topping
Creamy, cheesy baked pasta loaded with a rich homemade cheese sauce and topped with golden mozzarella. Perfect comfort food that can be elevated with crispy chili chicken chunks.
Equipment
Ingredients
Pasta & Sauce
uncooked pasta (uncooked)
250 g
butter
56 g
garlic (finely chopped)
2 tbsp
all purpose flour
24 g
milk
480 ml
dairy cream
480 ml
mozzarella cheese (shredded)
120 g
cheddar cheese (shredded)
60 g
mixed herbs
1 tsp
Spices
chili powder
1 tsp
chili flakes
1 tsp
paprika powder
1 tsp
black pepper
1 tsp
cumin powder
1 tsp
garlic powder
1 tsp
salt
1 tsp
sugar
1 tsp
Chicken Topping
chicken breast (cubed)
1 piece
soy sauce
15 ml
egg
1 piece
chili sauce
45 ml
Instructions
Prepare pasta
Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
Make spice-infused roux
Melt butter in pan, add all spices except salt and sugar, mix for 30-40 seconds.
Sauté garlic
Add finely chopped garlic and sauté for about a minute on low heat.
Cook flour roux
Add flour and cook, stirring continuously, for about 1 minute to form a roux.
Create creamy sauce
Add milk and cream while whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Add salt and sugar.
Melt cheeses into sauce
Add both shredded cheeses and mix until completely melted and sauce thickens.
Combine pasta with sauce
Add boiled pasta to the cheese sauce and mix well to coat evenly.
Prepare chicken topping (optional)
Cut chicken breast into cubes, marinate with salt, paprika, black pepper, soy sauce, flour, and egg for 30 minutes.
Fry chicken pieces
Deep fry marinated chicken until golden and crispy, then coat with chili sauce.
Assemble and top with cheese
Transfer pasta mixture to baking dish, top with remaining mozzarella cheese and mixed herbs.
Bake until golden
Bake at 175°C for 20-25 minutes until top is golden and bubbly.
Original recipe
Storage
Store covered in refrigerator. Reheat with a splash of milk to restore creaminess.
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