Cajun seasoning and cheese sauce sound like they’d fight each other. Blackening seasoning is sharp and smoky, cheese sauce is rich and mellow, but the fight is the point. Neither one backs down, and the bowl is better for it.
The technique that matters here is heat control on the chicken: a screaming hot pan, seasoning pressed in hard, and don’t crowd the pan or you’ll steam the crust instead of blackening it. Butterfly the chicken thin first so there’s more surface area for crust in every bite, then baste it with butter as it sears for a glossier, richer finish than a dry sear ever gets. Build the cheese sauce with a real roux and block cheese that melts smooth: sharp cheddar plus something meltier like smoked gouda or pepper jack, never a pile of pre-shredded cheese fighting its own anti-caking coating the whole time. Broil the assembled mac just until the top browns, then bacon at the end for salt and crunch.
Blackened chicken. Creamy sauce. Crispy bacon on top. That’s dinner, and it’s not the same mac and cheese you made last week.
🔪 Ingredients for Blackened Chicken Mac and Cheese
- Chicken breast, butterflied thin: doubling the surface area means more blackened crust in every bite. Ask the butcher to butterfly it, or do it yourself with a sharp knife.
- Homemade Cajun blackening seasoning (paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, black pepper): A fresh blend tastes sharper and lets you control the heat, but when push comes to shove, we love Blackened Redfish Magic (yes, the redfish one, not the poultry one).
- Butter: for basting the chicken as it sears and for building the roux.
- Elbow macaroni: holds the sauce well in its curves, though any short pasta shape works.
- Flour: for the roux that thickens the cheese sauce.
- Whole milk and heavy cream: half and half of each gives the sauce more body than milk alone.
- Sharp cheddar and smoked gouda or pepper jack: block cheese only, hand-shredded. Pre-shredded cheese carries an anti-caking starch that keeps the sauce from going fully smooth.
- Panko: for the broiled, browned top.
- Bacon: cooked crispy and cubed, then folded into the sauce, not just scattered on top, so there’s salt in every bite.
- Frozen peas: no need to thaw, they warm through when folded into the hot cheese sauce and add a pop of color and freshness against the richness.
- Scallions: sliced thin, for a sharp, fresh finish on top.
Equipment
A cast-iron or other oven-safe heavy skillet does double duty here: it gets screaming hot for the chicken, then goes straight under the broiler for the mac and cheese, no separate baking dish needed.
📝 How to Make Blackened Chicken Mac and Cheese
- Mix the seasoning. Combine the paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, and black pepper.
- Butterfly and season the chicken. Slice each breast horizontally into two thin cutlets, then press the seasoning into both sides.
- Sear hard. Heat a cast-iron skillet until it’s screaming hot, add butter, then sear the chicken 3 to 4 minutes per side, basting with melted butter as it cooks, until the crust is deeply blackened and the chicken reaches 165F. Don’t crowd the pan, or the crust steams instead of blackening.
- Rest and slice. Let the chicken rest 5 minutes, then slice.
- Cook the pasta. Boil the elbow macaroni until just al dente, then drain.
- Cook the bacon. Cube the bacon and cook in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- Build the roux. Wipe out the skillet you seared the chicken in (or use a second oven-safe skillet), melt butter in it, whisk in the flour, and cook 1 minute until it smells nutty.
- Add the milk and cream. Whisk in the milk and heavy cream gradually, then simmer until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Melt in the cheese. Remove from heat and stir in the hand-shredded cheddar and smoked gouda or pepper jack until smooth.
- Combine and broil. Toss the pasta with the cheese sauce right in the skillet, then fold in the frozen peas and crispy bacon. Top with panko and broil until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely so it doesn’t burn.
- Finish. Top with the sliced blackened chicken and scallions.
🔄 Substitutions
- Pepper jack for smoked gouda: adds heat instead of smoke, a good swap if you want the dish spicier rather than deeper.
- Chicken thighs for chicken breast: work well too. They just won’t butterfly as thin, so the crust-to-meat ratio changes slightly.
- Store-bought Cajun seasoning for homemade: works in a pinch, though it tends to run saltier and less complex than a fresh blend.
- Pre-shredded cheese instead of block: technically works, but the anti-caking starch coating keeps the sauce from going fully smooth. Expect a slightly grainy texture.
- Craving pasta in a cream sauce instead? That’s our Blackened Chicken Alfredo, a different build entirely: fettuccine in a cream sauce rather than elbow macaroni in a roux-based cheese sauce. Reach for this mac and cheese when you want the baked, cheesy version, and reach for the alfredo when you want pasta in a silky cream sauce.
- Want a shortcut version instead? Our Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Mac and Cheese takes the pressure-cooker route with barbecue sauce built in. This recipe leans all the way into a from-scratch blackening crust and a roux-based cheese sauce: a different flavor lane if you’ve got the extra 15 minutes.
💡 Meat Nerd Tips
- Butterfly thin, on purpose. More surface area means more blackened crust in every bite, which is the entire point of this technique.
- Baste with butter while it sears. Spooning butter over the chicken as it cooks builds a glossier, richer crust than a dry sear ever gets.
- Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese carries an anti-caking starch that fights a smooth sauce every time.
- Don’t crowd the pan. Too much chicken at once drops the pan’s temperature and steams the crust instead of blackening it.
🍽️ What to Serve with Blackened Chicken Mac and Cheese
- This mac and cheese carries its own protein and starch, so keep the sides light: a simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette or quick pickled vegetables cut the richness well.
- For more chicken dinners, browse our poultry recipes. And if you’re building out a whole mac and cheese lineup, our Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese, Jalapeño Mac and Cheese, and Spicy Sausage and Chipotle Mac and Cheese are all worth trying too.
🧊 Leftovers and Storage
- Store the blackened chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for 2 to 3 months.
- Store the mac and cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Freezing isn’t recommended: the cheese sauce breaks and turns grainy once thawed.
- Reheat the mac and cheese on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce back up.
- Reheat the chicken separately, gently, so it doesn’t overcook and dry out the crust.
Blackened Chicken Mac and Cheese
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
For the Blackening Seasoning
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp black pepper
For the Chicken
- 2 boneless chicken breasts butterflied into 4 thin cutlets
- 3 tbsp butter for basting
For the Bacon
- 1/4 lb bacon cut into 1/4" pieces
For the Mac and Cheese
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 8 oz sharp cheddar hand-shredded
- 8 oz smoked gouda or pepper jack hand-shredded
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup panko
- sliced scallions to garnish
Instructions
Mix the Seasoning
- Combine paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, and black pepper.
Butterfly and Season the Chicken
- Slice each breast horizontally into two thin cutlets. Press the seasoning into both sides.
Sear the Chicken
- Heat a cast-iron skillet until screaming hot, add butter, then sear the chicken 3-4 minutes per side, basting with melted butter, until deeply blackened and 165°F internal. Don’t crowd the pan.
Rest and Slice
- Let the chicken rest 5 minutes, then slice.
Cook the Pasta
- Boil the elbow macaroni until just al dente, then drain.
Cook the Bacon
- Cook the diced bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, 5-7 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
Build the Roux
- Wipe out the skillet you seared the chicken in (or use a second oven-safe skillet), melt butter in it, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute until it smells nutty.
Add the Milk and Cream
- Whisk in milk and heavy cream gradually, simmer until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 4-5 minutes.
Melt in the Cheese
- Off heat, stir in hand-shredded cheddar and smoked gouda or pepper jack until smooth.
Combine and Broil
- Toss pasta with cheese sauce right in the skillet, then fold in the frozen peas and crispy bacon. Top with panko and broil until golden, 2-3 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn.
Finish and Serve
- Top with sliced blackened chicken and scallions. Serve immedaitely, family style and let people dish out thier portions.
Notes
- Butterfly the chicken thin on purpose – more surface area means more blackened crust per bite.
- Shred your own cheese – pre-shredded carries an anti-caking starch that fights a smooth sauce.
- Don’t crowd the pan when searing the chicken, or the crust steams instead of blackening.
- Fold the peas and bacon into the sauce, not just on top — that’s what made the original recipe work, and it keeps every bite seasoned instead of front-loading the salt in one spot.
- Short on time? Store-bought blackening seasoning (Chef Paul’s Magic Seasoning Blends) works in place of the homemade blend — this was the original approach and still holds up.
Nutrition
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Quick Summary
This is butterflied chicken seared hard in a homemade Cajun blackening seasoning with a butter baste, served over elbow macaroni in a roux-based, two-cheese sauce with peas and crispy bacon folded in, then broiled until browned on top. The keys are heat control on the sear, block cheese shredded by hand, and folding the bacon and peas into the sauce instead of just topping with them.
❓ FAQs
Blackening is a specific technique, not just a seasoning blend. The chicken gets seared in a screaming hot, butter-basted pan until the spice-crusted surface chars into a deep, almost black crust while the inside stays juicy. Regular seasoned chicken skips that hard sear and char.
Yes. Blacken the chicken and make the cheese sauce up to 2 days ahead, storing them separately. Reheat the sauce gently with a splash of milk, then cook fresh pasta and reheat the chicken before serving.
Use block cheese you shred yourself, keep the heat low once the cheese goes in, and stir in a handful at a time rather than dumping it all in at once. Pre-shredded cheese and high heat are the two most common reasons this sauce breaks.
Shrimp or blackened salmon both work well in place of chicken. Adjust the cook time down since they cook faster, and pull them as soon as they’re opaque through.
Num num num. Looks like something out of a restaurant. Too beautiful. I’d like one please. :3
I am so with you. Cheese and noodles. Bacon. I mean can it get much better. Total heath food because of the peas and blackened chicken.
See…I don’t even have any words.
Totally drooling here at 8:25 am. Love this one!
Huge globs of melty cheese is better than washboard flat abs any day!