Spicy Chicken and Bacon Mac
I've been working to perfect a creamy, spicy mac and cheese for years. After adding smoky bacon, chicken, jalapenos and spicy cheese, this is the ultimate! I use rotisserie chicken and precooked bacon when I'm pressed for time. —Sarah Gilbert, Aloha, Oregon
Reviews
Simple, delish. It's a keeper.
Yummo. I made it and its really, really good! Another keeper recipe. I made an incredible, spicy cheesy rasta pasta by subbing jerk seasoning for cajun. Sauteed the chicken in jerk spice too. Used a whole 1lb box of pasta-this spiral style is key for standing up to cheesy clingy goodness. I added more of everything
Based on the reviews, I just printed out this recipe to make with the leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. Will let you know if it's just as good as you all say it is! Also wondering and will maybe try to substitute shrimp or lobster pieces for the chicken...hmmm, may have to try that first.
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Really enjoyed this Mac 'n Cheese. Substituted crawfish meat for the bacon. Had crawfish on hand but no bacon. Who lives like that? haha
I have been searching for a mac n cheese recipe like this my whole life. Would not change a single thing. Seriously we are total foodies and this is sooo good. Super creamy and the sauce doesnt break, it's not dry. Perfect noodle selection too. So good.
I made this on Saturday for my boyfriend's 47th birthday bash; we hosted around 40 people so I doubled the recipe. I made a GINORMOUS spread on a 12' long table and out of all the food I made, this dish received the most praise! I was asked for the recipe multiple times throughout the evening. Within an hour and a half, this dish was gone. A few changes I made: I used margarine, as a hate butter. I also sauteed 1/2 a vidalia onion (finely chopped) before adding the flour. I disagree with other reviewers that the sauce was too thick... I felt it was perfect. I doubled the cajun spice, used a little extra bacon, and crumbled jalapeño kettle chips on top. Another change I made was that I sauteed everything in a non stick skillet, then transferred to a casserole dish and baked on 350° for 35 minutes.... it was unreal. In fact, it was so good that since there were zero leftovers, my boyfriend's actual birthday was that Sunday and I made a second (smaller) batch for the two of us... ohhhh myyyy gooooodnesss!!! SO GOOD. This is a once-in-a-while treat; a very rich comfort food. I will make this again, for parties or for a special occasion. Thank you for the fantastic recipe!!
Made this for lunch today for my 2 adult sons and I. FANTASTIC! We all loved it. One of my sons (the career chef) diced the jalapeno very small, so it was well distributed. Two comments, one is that the sauce was too thick, had to add more 2% milk before adding mac, etc. I would use half and half or part that and part 2% milk next time. No whipping cream. (less expensive too). The other comment is that I thought it would be good to add 1/2 cup chopped onion to the butter a couple of minutes before adding flour so I did that and it was a good addition. I have already had to copy the recipe for my son - one lives here so doesn't need it. This had great presentation, flavor, texture - what more could we want? Yummy!! Fortunately there were only three of us and I served a salad with it, so we have some left for the two of us. This was good enough to be a company dish or even potluck - but you better prepare copies of the recipe!!
Macaroni, cheese, chicken, bacon and jalapeno? What could be better? We loved this dish. I doubled the amount of pasta, so increased the other ingredients accordingly. This mac
OMG!!! I have made this twice in the last 2 weeks and well received both times. First time was for a potluck, and I made as directed with a few tweaks.Since I was traveling with this, I made it in casserole dish and did not add chips until I arrived at venue in order to keep them crisp. I also found I needed to add an additional 1/2 cup milk to loosen up the sauce because I was going to bake in oven and didn't want it to dry out. I assembled it the night before and baked for 35 minutes until hot and bubbly the day it was needed. This was a huge hit! Second time making it was last night at home for husband. I cut the recipe in half and used jarred sliced jalapenos in place of fresh because it was what I had on hand. I also added a bit of the brine to the white sauce and cheese. I found I still needed to add a bit more milk to make it ooey gooey over the top yum! This is a great one panOMG!!! I have made this twice in the last 2 weeks and well received both times. First time was for a potluck, and I made as directed with a few tweaks.Since I was traveling w skillet meal that goes together quickly using rotisserie chicken and precooked bacon. I used jalapeno kettle chips on top. Yummy, yummy, yummy! Lynne, Volunteer Field Editor