11/20/2024
Honey Pepper Chicken Mac and Cheese
This recipe combines the comforting flavors of mac and cheese with the sweet and spicy kick of honey pepper chicken. It’s a perfect dish for a weeknight dinner or a casual gathering.
Ingredients:
For the Chicken:
Ingredient Quantity
Chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces 1 pound
Buttermilk 1 cup
All-purpose flour 1 cup
Paprika 1 teaspoon
Garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon
Salt and black pepper To taste
Vegetable oil For frying
For the Honey Pepper Sauce:
Ingredient Quantity
Honey 1/3 cup
Soy sauce 1 tablespoon
Apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon
Black pepper 1 teaspoon
Red pepper flakes (optional) 1/4 teaspoon
For the Mac and Cheese:
Ingredient Quantity
Elbow macaroni 2 cups
Unsalted butter 3 tablespoons
All-purpose flour 3 tablespoons
Whole milk 2 cups
Heavy cream 1 cup
Shredded cheddar cheese 2 cups
Shredded mozzarella cheese 1 cup
Salt 1/2 teaspoon
Black pepper 1/4 teaspoon
Instructions:
Prepare the Chicken: Marinate the chicken in buttermilk, salt, and pepper for at least 30 minutes. Dredge in a flour mixture of flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Fry in hot oil until golden brown and cooked through.
Make the Honey Pepper Sauce: Combine honey, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes in a saucepan. Heat and stir until thickened. Toss the fried chicken in the sauce.
Cook the Macaroni: Boil elbow macaroni according to package instructions until al dente. Drain.
Make the Cheese Sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan, whisk in flour, and cook until bubbly. Gradually whisk in milk and heavy cream until thickened. Stir in cheddar and mozzarella cheese until melted and smooth.
Combine Mac and Cheese: Add cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir to combine.
Serve: Spoon mac and cheese into bowls and top with honey pepper chicken. Garnish with parsley, if desired.