Blackened Chicken Mac and Cheese
Blackened Chicken Mac and Cheese take flavors to new levels! This creamy, gooey, meaty, and delicious meal is easy to fix, and when it's this good, you'd better not expect much leftover!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 567kcal
Ingredients
For the Crispy Bacon
- 1/4 lbs bacon cut into 1/4″ cubes
For the Chicken
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- 1/3 cup blackening seasoning
- 1 lbs chicken sliced thin and trimmed if needed
For the Macaroni and Cheese
- 1 lb pasta
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
Garnish
- scallions sliced thin
Instructions
Cook the Bacon
- Preheat a skilled over medium to medium-high heat.
- Cook bacon in skillet until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel lined place to drain.
Make the Blackened Chicken
- Heat griddle or skillet over high heat until smoking.
- Arrange melted butter in a bowl next to a dish with the blackening spice.
- Coat the chicken in butter, then cover in a liberal coating of the blackening spice.
- When the griddle surface is smoking, turn on a fan for ventilation and add the chicken. Reduce heat to medium-high if needed to prevent burning.
- Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, turning as needed until all sides are blackened and chicken is cooked through. Remove from griddle and cover while preparing the macaroni.
Boil the pasta
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to directions on box; Drain and set aside.
Make the Macaroni and cheese
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour.
- Cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the cream and milk. Add the cheese and stir until melted through.
- Toss cheese sauce over pasta. Add the frozen peas and bacon.
Garnish and Serve
- Place heaping portions of macaroni and cheese on plate, top with chicken and garish with freshly sliced scallions.
Notes
A large cast-iron griddle or skillet works best for an even blackened coating on the chicken. If you have a Blackstone or griddle grill, that is even better!
This recipe gets smoky, so work under a well-ventilated good or outside on the grill.
For blackening seasoning, we use Spiceology Black Magic or Chef Paul Magic Seasoning Blends (found at most grocery stores)
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 567kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 2981mg | Potassium: 291mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 815IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 251mg | Iron: 1mg