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Green Chili, Chicken and Bacon Mac and Cheese

This Bacon Mac and Cheese Recipe will have everyone coming back for seconds! It's super cheesy, flavorful and great for feeding a crowd.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword baked macaroni, homemade mac and cheese, mac and cheese recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 373kcal
Author Jenny
Cost $40

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 1198mg | Potassium: 352mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 425IU | Vitamin C: 13.4mg | Calcium: 282mg | Iron: 1.4mg