Honey Pepper Chicken Mac and Cheese Recipe
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this Honey Pepper Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe. Creamy, cheesy pasta is topped with crispy breaded chicken strips drizzled in a sweet and spicy honey pepper sauce. A perfect blend of savory and sweet flavors that will have your taste buds dancing!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking, Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Non-Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Spiral Noodles:
- 1 16 oz box spiral noodles
Breaded Chicken Strips:
- 1 25 oz. bag breaded chicken strips
Additional Ingredients:
- 5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Basil, to taste
- 3/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3 Tbs low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbs vinegar
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 stick butter
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 cup freshly shredded colby jack cheese
- 2–3 cloves minced garlic
- Chopped fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Bake or Fry Chicken: Cook chicken strips according to package instructions, then set aside.
- Cook Pasta: Prepare spiral noodles according to package directions.
- Prepare Honey Pepper Sauce: In a saucepan, combine honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, lemon juice, vinegar, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat to thicken.
- Make Cheese Sauce: In a large pan, melt butter with heavy cream. Add cheeses one by one, stirring after each addition. Add minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Mix cooked pasta into the cheese sauce. Add bacon and combine well.
- Coat Chicken Strips: Dip cooked chicken strips into the honey pepper sauce until coated.
- Serve: Plate the mac and cheese, top with chicken strips, basil, and extra bacon if desired.
Notes
- You can customize the level of spiciness by adjusting the amount of cayenne pepper in the sauce.
- For a crispier chicken coating, broil the coated chicken strips for a few minutes before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 820
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 1140mg
- Fat: 44g
- Saturated Fat: 26g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 76g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 33g
- Cholesterol: 155mg
Keywords: Honey Pepper Chicken Mac and Cheese, comfort food, pasta recipe, cheesy chicken recipe
