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Crispy Chicken Mac & Cheese

Crispy Chicken Mac & Cheese

This Crispy Chicken Mac & Cheese is a wildly satisfying dish that brings the best of comfort food together. Golden, breaded chicken bites sit atop a velvety cheese sauce made from cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, and a touch of velveeta for that extra creaminess. Tossed with perfectly cooked pasta and finished with a hit of parsley and more cheese, this is the kind of meal that earns repeat requests.

Author: These Carbs Don't Count

Meal Type: Peanuts Free

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: MEDIUM

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 3 bowls

Calories: 1,730 kcal per serving

Ingredients

  • ½ lb - pasta
  • 1 - chicken breast
  • ½ cup - all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp - salt
  • ½ tsp - black pepper
  • ½ tsp - garlic powder
  • ½ tsp - onion powder
  • ½ tsp - paprika
  • 2 - eggs
  • 1 ½ cups - breadcrumbs
  • Vegetable oil
  • 4 tablespoons - unsalted butter
  • 3 cloves - garlic
  • 1 ½ cups - heavy cream
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • ½ tsp - garlic powder
  • ½ tsp - onion powder
  • ½ tsp - paprika
  • 1 cup - shredded cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup - shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ½ cup - grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 cubes - Velveeta cheese
  • ½ cup - reserved pasta water
  • Fresh parsley

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain.
  2. Dredge chicken pieces in seasoned flour (with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika), dip in beaten eggs, then coat in breadcrumbs.
  3. Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan and fry chicken in batches until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
  4. In a separate pan, melt butter over medium heat and sauté minced garlic until fragrant.
  5. Add heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
  6. Stir in cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, and Velveeta. Whisk until cheese is fully melted and sauce is creamy.
  7. Add cooked pasta, a splash of reserved pasta water, and mix until fully coated.
  8. Fold in some crispy chicken. Plate and top with additional chicken, Parmesan, and parsley. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Energy: 1,730 kcal | Total Fat: 116 g | Saturated: 55 g | Trans: 0 g | Unsaturated: 0 g | Cholesterol: 470 mg | Total Carbs: 133 g | Fiber: 6 g | Sugars: 17 g | Proteins: 72 g | Sodium: 3,225 mg | Polyunsaturated: 7 g | Monounsaturated: 24 g

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