Hot Honey Chicken Mac & Cheese Recipe
This hot honey chicken mac and cheese recipe is going to wow everyone! Creamy and cheesy baked mac and cheese loaded with sweet and spicy hot honey coated chicken pieces.
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Servings 8 servings
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 9x13 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!