This bacon mac and cheese recipe is perfectly cheesy, flavorful and great for feeding a crowd!
If you love mac and cheese recipes like we do, be sure to try our Skillet Baked Mac and Cheese recipe too.
Mac and Cheese Recipe
Bacon Mac and Cheese Recipe, these words just go together! This is a variation of my Perfect Mac and Cheese that really takes mac and cheese to the next level! Take a look and make yourself a big pot….today! Enjoy!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Flavor Packed. This mac and cheese is packed with so much flavor, all of your guests are going to love it!
- Easy To Make. With my step by step instructions, you’ll have no trouble making this recipe.
Be sure to follow Picky Palate on Instagram for sneak peeks on what’s coming next to the blog!
What You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this mac and cheese recipe at home. See the recipe card located at the bottom of the post for full details.
- Small Pasta– I like to use a small pasta such as elbow shaped for my mac and cheese.
- Butter– I prefer salted butter for my recipes. Unsalted is ok too.
- Kosher Salt– Kosher salt is a course salt commonly used for cooking and baking.
- Black Pepper– For best tasting results, use freshly cracked black pepper.
- Milk– 2% or higher milk works best.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese– We like mild cheddar cheese for our mac.
- Green Chilies– Diced green chilies add a nice layer of flavor to the mac.
- Cooked Chicken– We use rotisserie chicken that’s been shredded and removed from the bone for our dinner recipes.
- Cooked Bacon– Cooked, crumbled bacon is used for a delicious added crunch and flavor.
- Prepared Salsa Verde– I get the Herdez brand salsa verde for the recipe.
How To Make Bacon Mac and Cheese Recipe
Cook Pasta. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside for a few minutes.
Make Roux. To prepare roux, melt butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted whisk in flour, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes until color of roux will gets slightly darker.
Add Milk To Roux. Slowly whisk in milk, stirring continuously until thickened, about 2 minutes.
Add Cheese To Roux. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir in cheese until melted.
Combine Pasta and Cheese Sauce. Transfer cooked pasta to large dutch oven or pot over low heat. Pour cheese sauce over top, stirring to combine.
Add Mix Ins. Add green chilies, chicken, bacon and salsa verde, stirring to combine. This is a thick and creamy sauce. To thin sauce, add additional tablespoons of milk at a time until at desired consistency.
Recipe Tips For Success
- Watch Pasta Carefully. I like to undercook my pasta 1 minute less than the package recommends so that it stays al dente as it warms in the cheese sauce.
- Rotisserie Chicken. To make prep work easy, use a rotisserie chicken, shredded in the mac and cheese. This way you don’t have to cook your own chicken if you don’t want to.
- Splashes of Milk. To thin the mac and cheese sauce, add a few splashes of milk and stir. When mac and cheese sits in the pot, it tends to thicken up. The milk will help.
How To Serve
Serve mac and cheese warm in individual serving bowls. It’s great with a side salad or some roasted vegetables too.
Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating Instructions
To reheat, place mac and cheese in a heat proof bowl loosely covered in the microwave for 60-90 seconds or until hot.
Try More Mac and Cheese Recipes
Green Chili, Chicken and Bacon Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- Stove
- Dutch Oven or large pot
- cutting board
- chef knife
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- mixing spoon
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound dry small pasta I used elbow
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 cups milk I used skim
- 2 cups finely shredded mild cheddar cheese
- two 4 ounce cans diced green chilies
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 cups cooked crumbled bacon pieces (about 1 pound cooked)
- 1/4 cup mild salsa verde
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside for a few minutes.
- To prepare roux, melt butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once melted whisk in flour, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes until color of roux will gets slightly darker. Slowly whisk in milk, stirring continuously until thickened, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir in cheese until melted.
- Transfer cooked pasta to large dutch oven or pot over low heat. Pour cheese sauce over top, stirring to combine.
- Add green chilies, chicken, bacon and salsa verde, stirring to combine. This is a thick and creamy sauce. To thin sauce, add additional tablespoons of milk at a time until at desired consistency.
Notes
- Watch Pasta Carefully. I like to undercook my pasta 1 minute less than the package recommends so that it stays al dente as it warms in the cheese sauce.
- Rotisserie Chicken. To make prep work easy, use a rotisserie chicken, shredded in the mac and cheese. This way you don’t have to cook your own chicken if you don’t want to.
- Splashes of Milk. To thin the mac and cheese sauce, add a few splashes of milk and stir. When mac and cheese sits in the pot, it tends to thicken up. The milk will help.
I have been making this since you initially posted the recipe and my super picky husband and I devour it every time! We’re expecting our first little bean in a few weeks and I’m trying to stock up on freezer meals. Do you think this recipe would hold up in the freezer if I undercook the pasta a bit?
I have made this several times and my whole family LOVES it. Thank you for sharing this goodness!
So glad to hear it Camille. Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Oh my, this looks divine! Talk about taking your mac and cheese and kicking it up a notch!
This was great, but I’d suggest using a full pound of pasta. It seemed like the perfect amount for all ingredients!
I can’t thank you enough for this delicious recipe. The hubs and I loved it.
My eyes refuse to leave the screen and this mac and cheese recipe. Oh my, I can’t wait to try it. Yup, it’s going on next week’s menu. Saved!
I need this in my life ASAP!
This looks amazeballs!!
What a warm and comforting meal! Looks delicious, Jenny! 🙂
OMG. Pinned!
Those bowls are so cute!!!!
dying for a tub of this right now Jenny!
Mmmmmm. It is like fall here & this would be the perfect dinner!
Chives and bacon? Yes please.
Green chilies are like candy in my house. Looks like I know what to make for dinner. Yum!
Looks great will try sure to love
Love it, Jenny!
Mac and cheese is my weakness, you are making me cry… from happiness! 🙂
Holy Cow, this looks delicious!
I LOVE bacon in mac n cheese!! It’s the best combo ever!
Oh my gosh. Swoon. Must make this ASAP. Your dinner recipes are the best, Jenny!! 🙂 xoxo
this is another winner, Jenny!! Looks so good!
Question: My tried and true mac & cheese recipe is from Betty Crocker. After I mix the cheese sauce with the pasta and mix-ins, it goes into a casserole dish to be baked up with a nice crusty layer. Yours seems to be a nice, thick consistency like mine, but I love the crispy bits of browning on the edges.
Why no bake time for this one? Personal preference?
I love this assortment of mix-ins, btw. I might have to give it a go!
Good question. I too love a good baked mac & cheese with a crusty top. However, sometimes the baked mac & cheese is not as cheesy as I’d like so I wanted to create a stove top mac & cheese. You will not regret trying it. Please let me know how it goes.
I am completely dead right now.
Such a good looking pot of mac & cheese! YUM!
Such a grown up mac-n-cheese. Sounds wonderful!
Do you have troubles with clumping cheese sauce when you use bagged shredded cheese? Yours looks pretty creamy.
No, not with a correctly done Rue.
What an amazing twist!! Sounds totally drool worthy!
I would love this!! I’ll be making it soon (minus the Green chilies 🙁 hubby is allergic) but everything else looks great!
Ok – now I want the amped up version of mac and cheese! Wow.
Delicious. Thank you!
Another winning mac and cheese!
An wow! Just wow! This is some lick the bowl clean mac and cheese. I NEED this!
I am such a sucker for mac and cheese, but green chili chicken mac and cheese? I AM IN LOVE!
Are you kidding me?? Completely IN LOVE with this mac and cheese!! Will you come cook me dinner??? 🙂
and there she is. WOW!
I’m seeing so many delicious mac and cheese recipes around recently that it’s making me crave some desperately! Going to have to make this one – the salsa verde is right up my street.