Easy Chicken Mac and Cheese with Broccoli and Bacon
This comfort chicken mac and cheese is made with broccoli and bacon and made with a creamy cheesy sauce. This will be your family's new favorite meal!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoons crushed pepper
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 2 cups elbow macaroni noodles
- 1 cup broccoli
- 1 cup shredded chicken
- 1 cup crushed bacon
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to boxed instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to keep the pasta from sticking together. Set aside.
- In a large sauce pan over medium heat completely melt the butter, then add the cornstarch to make the roux. Wisk until the cornstarch and butter are combined 1-2 minutes. It should look golden.
- Slowly mix in the milk and season with pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to low and simmer, whisking every couple minutes until the mixture is thick and creamy. About 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cheese and fold in the pasta, chicken, broccoli, and bacon. Mix until well combined. Serve immediately.
Notes
Grate your own cheese. Grating your own cheese makes the process for melting the cheese much easier. Store bought pre shredded cheese just doesn't melt as well as when you grate your own cheese.
Prep ahead of time. If you're cooking for a party and want to have things prepped ahead of time or simply want to make it easier to make this mac and cheese, cook all your ingredients and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
Melt the cheese slow. This might be a pain, but your mac and cheese will turn put best if you melt your cheese slowly. If the cheese is added in to quickly or is cooked on to high of a temperature it will form clumps and won't allow for a smooth and creamy texture. Which is definitely what we want!