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Made with sharp cheddar, creamy Gruyere cheese and succulent, Fajita seasoned chicken breast – this Chicken Mac and Cheese is sublime! Comfort food at its finest and easiest.
Amp up a comfort food classic with this Fajita Chicken Mac and Cheese! Loaded with Mexican flavor, and of course, lots of cheese! It’s melty, creamy and oh so delicious! Serve it straight from the pot and make a big batch – it’s going to be gobbled up quickly!
If you’re looking for other delicious Mexican inspired recipes, why not also try my Mexican Street Corn Salad or Mexican Shrimp!
Why you’ll love this Chicken Mac and Cheese
- Creamy and cheesy – Made with sharp cheddar, Gruyere cheese and milk – this dreamy creamy Chicken Mac and Cheese will not disappoint cheese lovers.
- Packed with Mexican flavors – Fajita seasoned chicken and fajita seasoning in the mac n cheese – this is packed with all those lovely Mexican spices.
- Easy mac and cheese- A big pot goes from pantry to table in 30 mins. Easy to prep and made mainly with kitchen staples – such an easy and comforting weeknight meal .
Ingredients you’ll need
- Elbow Pasta
- Butter
- Flour
- Chicken Broth
- Half and Half: Or whole milk/heavy cream
- Seasoning: Fajita seasoning, paprika, garlic powder, salt.
- Veggies: Bell peppers, onions.
- Cheese: Gruyere, cheddar.
- Chicken Thighs
- Butter
- Garlic Cloves
- Olive Oil
How to make Chicken Mac and Cheese
- Boil the pasta – Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions.
- Cook the chicken – Marinate the chicken and grill on a cast iron skillet or pan sear on any skillet. Cook 5-7 minutes on each side or until fully cooked.
- Cook the veggies – Dice the bell peppers and onions and sauté in a large pan, then set aside.
- Make the sauce – In the large pan, mix the melted butter and flour then mix until combined. Then add the milk and broth until it’s all a creamy texture. Let the sauce simmer then add the spices.
- Combine – Cube up the chicken, and add in the cooked pasta, chicken and the peppers. Mix together to coat well with the sauce. Cover and cook on low heat for another 3-5 minutes.
- Serve, garnish and enjoy!
Recipe notes and tips
- Use enough water so once the pasta begins to cook and expand, there will still be plenty of room for them to move freely.
- To prevent sticking, stir your pasta as soon as you drop it in the water.
- Drain your pasta enough to remove most of the water without it drying off. If the pasta is too dry it’ll firm up and become too starchy.
- Add hot pepper or chili flakes to make it spicy.
- You can adapt with different proteins like shrimp, scallops, crabs or make vegetarian without proteins.
- Reduce the amount of cheese and use milk instead of half and half if you want to make it lighter.
- Season and taste as you simmer the mac and cheese.
- You can also use precooked or rotisserie chicken, it’s also a good way to use up leftover chicken.
FAQ’s
Can I use other types of pasta?
As it’s mac n cheese, elbow pasta works great, but if you have bags of other pasta to hand then of course use them up! This Chicken Mac and Cheese works with many other types of pasta. The creamy cheesy sauce is awesome slathered over anything really! Shapes like penne, shells, rotini or fusili work great.
My sauce looks thin
If your sauce starts off looking a bit thin, fear not! The cheese sauce will thicken up as it simmers and even more so when you add the cheese. This sauce recipe is a great balance between metly but not too heavy.
How to store leftovers
You can store this Chicken Mac and Cheese in an airtight container, keep in the fridge fro up to 4 days. To reheat, place in the microwave or covered in the oven at 350F for 10-15 minutes.
You can also freeze leftovers for around 3 months. Allow the leftovers thaw overnight in the fridge. Freezing cooked pasta can make the texture softer.
Other delicious pasta recipes
- Greek Pasta Salad Recipe
- Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Spaghetti
- Simple Pesto Tomato Pasta
- Pesto Shrimp Scampi with Pasta
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it and share it with your friends and family!
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Fajita Chicken Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 10 oz elbow pasta, dried
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3 tbsps. flour
- 1 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 1/2 cups half and half, or 1:1 Whole milk/Heavy cream
- 2 tbps fajita seasoning
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsps paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded or grated
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 small onion, petite diced
- 2 cups multi colored bell peppers, petite diced
- 2 tbsps olive oil, lightly flavored
Chicken
- 4 large chicken thighs, boneless
- 2 tsps fajita seasoning
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions.
- Marinate the chicken and grill on a cast iron skillet or pan sear on any skillet. Cook 5-7 minutes on each side or until fully cooked (depends on the side of your the thighs). Once cooked, remove from heat, cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Dice the bell peppers and onions. Sauté in a large pan with 2 tbsps. of olive oil until tender. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- In the same pan, melt the butter. Once the butter melts, add in the flour and whisk until well combined. Then gradually add in the milk and broth while whisking continuously to create a smooth creamy texture.
- Let the sauce cook on medium-low heat for about 1-2 minute while continuing to whisk slowly. Then add in the spices, salt and mix again to blend well. Add in the cheese gradually and continue to whisk until the cheese melts completely and the mixture cooks for another 2-3 minutes on medium-low heat.
- Cube up the chicken, and add in the cooked pasta, chicken and the peppers. Mix together to coat well with the sauce. Cover and cook on low heat for another 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat, garnish with cilantro, sliced Jalapenos and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Use enough water so once the pasta begins to cook and expand, there will still be plenty of room for them to move freely.
- To prevent sticking, stir your pasta as soon as you drop it in the water.
- Drain your pasta enough to remove most of the water without it drying off. If the pasta is too dry it’ll firm up and become too starchy.
- Add hot pepper or chili flakes to make it spicy.
- You can adapt with different proteins like shrimp, scallops, crabs or make vegetarian without proteins.
- Reduce the amount of cheese and use milk instead of half and half if you want to make it lighter.
- Season and taste as you simmer the mac and cheese.
- You can also use precooked or rotisserie chicken, it’s also a good way to use up leftover chicken.
My boyfriend, daughter and I loved this. I added a little more of each seasoning to taste. Will be making for the next potluck. #mommtPat
How big is a serving in this recipe?
4 decent servings or 2 huge servings
Hello, I am wondering if I can make this with gluten free flour?? I am allergic to gluten.
Hi Natalia,
I haven’t tried but i think it will be fine. The flour is just to thicken up the sauce. And you can use gluten free pasta as well.