This hot honey chicken mac & cheese recipe is going to become a regular! Creamy and cheese baked mac and cheese loaded with hot honey chicken throughout and then drizzled with hot honey.
Skip the hot honey chicken and make my classic baked mac and cheese recipe.
HOT HONEY CHICKEN BAKED MAC & CHEESE
This hearty and cheesy dish brings two top tier dishes together for the best combo! Creamy and cheesy macaroni and cheese combined with sweet and spicy hot honey chicken. This cheesy baked mac and cheese recipe has crispy chicken pieces coated in hot honey sauce mixed in throughout giving you delicious creamy, spicy and sweet flavors. Make this dish for your next gathering or for the holidays and wow all of your guests!
WHAT DO YOU NEED-
- Pasta– Classic mac and cheese calls for elbow pasta, but I prefer using cavatappi (corkscrew) pasta instead! You can use whichever you prefer. Tini’s mac and cheese went viral for the cavatappi pasta and for good reason!
- Butter– The base of the cheesy sauce is butter, you can use either salted or unsalted.
- Flour– To thicken the roux, this recipe calls for all-purpose flour.
- Milk– This recipe calls for whole milk to achieve creamy roux. If you want to make it creamier, you can use half and half creamer.
- Seasonings– To season the mac and cheese roux sauce, this recipe calls for salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. You can add any other of your
- Dijon Mustard– I love adding a little Dijon mustard to the sauce for a little tang. It is totally optional.
- Hot Sauce– For a little kick, I add some hot sauce to the roux sauce. You can use either sriracha hot sauce, Franks buffalo hot sauce or just fully leave the hot sauce out.
- Cheese– The key to the best mac and cheese is using high quality cheese! This recipe calls for a mix of Gruyere cheese, mild cheddar cheese, and mozzarella cheese! I like to buy blocks of cheese and shred it fresh, for the best results.
- Panko Crumbs– If you like a crispy mac and cheese topping you can add some panko breadcrumbs to the dish before baking. Panko crumbs are totally optional.
- Chicken– Use any of your favorite pre-made crispy chicken, such as chicken tenders, popcorn chicken, or chicken nuggets.
- Hot Honey Sauce– To coat the chicken, I use my go-to hot honey wing sauce which calls for butter, hot sauce, honey, and red pepper flakes! This sauce makes the ultimate sweet and spicy sauce that everyone will LOVE!
HOW TO MAKE HOT HONEY CHICKEN MAC & CHEESE
This creamy baked mac and cheese recipe is loaded with creamy, spicy and sweet flavors, ready in no time!
- Prepare the Mac & Cheese– Preheat the oven and lightly grease a large casserole dish.
- Shred the cheese and set aside. (Freshly shredded cheese is recommended for the best results.)
- Cook pasta al dente in salted boiling water according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour and cook until slightly golden. - Slowly whisk in milk, seasonings, Dijon, and hot sauce. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in half of the shredded cheese until melted.
- Drain the pasta, add it to the cheese sauce, and toss until evenly coated.
- Prepare the Hot Honey Chicken– Cook crispy chicken according to package instructions until golden and crispy.
- In a small saucepan, prepare the hot honey wing sauce.
- Toss the cooked chicken in the hot honey sauce, reserving some sauce for drizzling before serving.
- Assemble & Bake– Spread half of the mac and cheese into the prepared casserole dish. Top with half of the remaining cheese and half of the hot honey chicken.
- Add the remaining mac and cheese, shredded cheese, and chicken. (If using panko crumbs, add them before the chicken.)
- Bake uncovered until melted and bubbly. Broil for an additional couple minutes for a golden top, if desired.
- Let cool for 5 minutes, then drizzle with the reserved hot honey sauce before serving.
STOVE TOP HOT HONEY CHICKEN MAC & CHEESE
You can totally skip baking this sweet and spicy mac and cheese recipe and make a stove top version!
- Prepare the mac and cheese as directed, cooking the pasta and making the cheese sauce.
- Prepare the hot honey sauce and toss the crispy chicken until evenly coated, reserving some sauce for serving.
- Once the pasta is tossed in the cheese sauce, stir in the remaining shredded cheese until melted and creamy.
- Gently fold in the hot honey chicken, reserving some to arrange on top.
- Cover the pot over low heat for 2-3 minutes to warm everything through.
- Top with the remaining chicken and drizzle with reserved hot honey sauce.
- Serve immediately while still hot.
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE:
Yes! You can totally skip the pre-made chicken and make fresh or homemade chicken. I prefer making crispy chicken, such as chicken tenders, popcorn chicken, chicken cutlets or chicken nuggets. You can also do air fried, sauteed or grilled chicken.
Yes! You can definitely make the mac and cheese ahead of time, up to 2-3 days in advance. Just allow it to cool, cover, and store in the refrigerator. I recommend preparing the hot honey chicken right before serving and adding it at the end to keep it as crispy as possible.
I recommend doing a combination of cheeses for more flavors! Use cheese like mild cheddar, sharp cheddar, mozzarella, gouda, gruyere, colby jack cheese or any other cheeses that are creamy.
Once the leftover mac and cheese is cooled, store covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat with a splash of milk on the stove top or in the microwave.
No! You can go the classic route and just use plain elbow pasta, or any other short pasta you prefer.
The spice level totally depends on the amount of hot sauce and red pepper flakes you put in the hot honey sauce!
You can reheat this mac and cheese in the oven, microwave or stove top! Just add a splash of milk and shredded cheese for extra creaminess.
OTHER HOT HONEY RECIPES IDEAS-
If you love hot honey, then check out all my other delicious hot honey inspired recipes:
Hot Honey Chicken Mac & Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
Mac & Cheese-
- 12 oz cavatappi pasta or elbow pasta
- 4 Tbsp salted or unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 2 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp hot sauce
- 3 cups shredded cheese gruyere, mozzarella, cheddar
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs optional
Hot Honey Chicken-
- 1 lb crispy chicken tenders, popcorn chicken or nuggets
- 1/2 cup hot honey
- 1/3 cup Franks buffalo hot sauce
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter or salted
- 3 tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
Preheat the Mac & Cheese-
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Shred the cheese and combine all the cheese in a bowl. (For the best results, freshly shred a block of cheese.)
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook al dente according to the package instructions. (Cooking time will vary depending on the type of pasta you use.)12 oz cavatappi pasta, or elbow pasta
- As the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour until combined.4 Tbsp salted or unsalted butter, 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- Continue whisking for about 2-3 minutes, until the flour mixture is slightly golden.
- Slowly pour in the milk, whisking vigorously to smooth out any lumps. Add the seasonings, Dijon mustard, and hot sauce. Whisk until combined.2 3/4 cup whole milk, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp paprika, 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp hot sauce
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until thickened.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and add 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheese mixture. Stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.3 cups shredded cheese, gruyere, mozzarella, cheddar
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add it to the roux cheese sauce and toss until evenly coated. Remove from the heat.
Prepare the Hot Honey Chicken-
- While the pasta is cooking and before you prepare the roux sauce, prepare the crispy chicken according to the package instructions. (If using popcorn chicken or nuggets, cook until golden and crispy.)1 lb crispy chicken, tenders, popcorn chicken or nuggets
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the hot honey, Frank’s buffalo hot sauce, and red pepper flakes. Stir until combined and warmed through.1/2 cup hot honey, 1/3 cup Franks buffalo hot sauce, 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, or salted, 3 tsp red pepper flakes
- Add the cooked crispy chicken to a large bowl and pour the hot honey sauce over the top. Toss until the chicken is evenly coated. (Leave some of the hot honey to drizzle over the mac and cheese once it's baked.)
Assemble and Bake-
- Pour about half of the mac and cheese mixture into the prepared casserole dish and spread evenly.
- Top with half of the remaining shredded cheese, followed by half of the hot honey chicken.
- Add the rest of the mac and cheese mixture and spread evenly. Top with the remaining shredded cheese and hot honey chicken. (For a crispy topping, add the panko crumbs before the hot honey chicken.)1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, optional
- Bake uncovered at 350°F for 18-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the top is slightly golden.
- For an even more golden topping, broil the mac and cheese for an additional 3-5 minutes, keeping a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
- Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes.
- Before serving, drizzle with additional hot honey sauce for extra sweetness and heat. Serve warm!
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