Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Chicken and broccoli mac and cheese is an easy weeknight meal loaded with sharp cheddar cheese, juicy chicken and tender broccoli coated in a super creamy cheese sauce.
Ingredients
- ½ pound cavatappi pasta
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- 1 chicken breast
- ¼ cup butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and cook the pasta. When the pasta is 3 minutes away from al dente, add in the broccoli and cook until the broccoli is tender crisp and the pasta is al dente. Drain and set aside.
- While the water is boiling and pasta is cooking, season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. In a large skillet on medium heat, add oil and cook the chicken for 6-10 minutes, flipping halfway, until cooked through. The cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken.
- Set the chicken aside and in the same pan on medium low heat, melt the butter then add in the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in the milk ¼ cup at a time, whisking thoroughly until incorporated between each addition. At first, it will be a thick paste but as you add more milk, the mixture will be smooth with no clumps.
- Add in dijon mustard, cheddar cheese, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Whisk until the cheese is fully melted. Turn off the heat.
- Slice the chicken into bite sized pieces.
- Toss in the chicken, pasta, and broccoli into the cheese sauce and mix until well combined.
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 572kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 32gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 718mgPotassium: 547mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1243IUVitamin C: 42mgCalcium: 537mgIron: 2mg
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