- cookingwithjr
- Jan 3, 2020
- 3 min read
Is boxed mac and cheese pretty good? Yes, absolutely. I eat it all the time, especially being a college student that doesn't have a lot of money. But sometimes, especially in these chilly times of the year, you just need something more. That's where this behemoth of a skillet full of creamy, hearty, makes-you-smile-on-the-inside-and-outside, mac and cheese comes in. Chock full of chicken and bacon, this meal is sure to keep you full for days and satisfy that craving for your mom or grandma's home cooked mac and cheese. In future posts, I will try to include more pictures of the process, but for this first one all I really have is the final product. Now that's enough small talk, let's get into the details.
Yield: 4-6 generous portions
Time: Prep, 45 minutes. Cooking, 20 minutes.
Ingredients
16 oz elbow macaroni
1 stick butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup cream or half and half
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced/crushed
16 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
8 oz gouda, shredded
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced/crushed
2 chicken breasts
1/2 lb. bacon
≈1 cup of panko
Now, you can certainly make this recipe without a cast iron skillet, it would be silly to say you can't. But is it one of the best and most versatile items you can buy for your kitchen? YES! If you are serious about cooking, it's a great first step. Plus, in this recipe, I cooked the bacon, the chicken, and baked the dish all in the same skillet-- less dishes? Yes please! Now that I've gotten on that soapbox, let's head into The Making of the Mac.
Directions
Put a large pot of water on to boil, and salt like the sea
Add your macaroni whenever it's boiling, and cook until slightly underdone. Set aside.
Preheat your oven to 350°F
Get out your pan (again, cast iron is GREAT for this recipe) and cook 8-10 slices of your preferred bacon, keeping them whole.
Once they are a nice crispy, but not quite crunchy texture, pull them out. Let cool for a few minutes and cut into small bits. Set aside.
Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Add salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, and paprika and coat the chicken evenly.
Cook the chicken in the bacon grease (if this grosses you out, you can certainly use olive oil or butter! It will still be delicious) until all pieces are evenly cooked. Set aside and wipe out most of the grease with a wad of paper towels.
Shred your cheese before you start the sauce!! Do not get ahead of yourself!
Melt 1/2 of the stick of butter in the pan, adding in the garlic to the pan.
Once it is melted and the garlic becomes fragrant, add the flour and a bit more salt and pepper to the pan. Whisk it THOROUGHLY until you have a nice, smooth *roux.
Add in the milk and cream 1/2 cup at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each 1/2 cup before adding more.
Once all milk is incorporated, start adding cheese. I do a very careful measurement of one handful, then whisk, one handful, then whisk-- until I only have about 1 cup left. Make sure to leave that 1 cup of cheese for topping!
Continue to whisk until smooth, then taste and add any salt, pepper, or spice that you prefer. I usually add crushed red pepper to keep things exciting!
Add the cooked macaroni, chicken, and bacon to the sauce in the pan and mix until things are evenly distributed and everything is covered in sauce.
Put the extra cheese you saved on top evenly
Take the other 1/2 of the stick of butter, and melt it in the microwave. Add this to the panko, with salt and pepper. Spread evenly over the mixture.
Place your skillet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, checking at 10 and 15 minutes. As everything in your skillet should still be warm, this is just to meld everything together and get the panic nice and golden brown.
This recipe may seem intimidating, but if you follow these directions an get your ingredients prepared ahead of time it will take you no time at all! From boiling the water to sticking it in the oven, this took me maybe 45 minutes. And it was so good, I got inspired to start a food blog, so here we are. And here's the one picture I got of this beauty!
Let me know if you try this recipe, or if you need anything clarified!
Happy Eating,
JR