Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese Recipe

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I honestly only make mac and cheese for a special occasion, or if Hannah (my 4 year old) begs me. I wanted to spice things up and have a little change at dinner tonight, so I decided to combine two of my favorite things, buffalo chicken and mac and cheese.

Traditionally buffalo chicken is made with a hot sauce of some kind and butter. I find that it is good with whatever spicy hot sauce you have on hand, I just so happened to have Sriracha sauce. This sauce is a spicy chili sauce that has grown in popularity over the last few years. Let me tell you that a little goes a looooong way!

Traditionally when making homemade mac and cheese, you make a roux with butter and all milk or cream. If you want to make it a little lighter, just exchange out the chicken broth for milk or cream. I opted to use part chicken broth to try and cut down on some of the calories. I cooked the chicken in a sriracha chicken broth mixture until done. Now, if you prefer your mixture more spicy feel free to add more sriracha sauce or use less if need be.

As you can see my four year old could barely contain herself! She wanted to ‘help’ with the pictures, all the while tasting the pulling out the broccoli and pasta! Yum YUM she said. This is a little spicy, so keep that in mind, but it’s a comforting mac and cheese that will mix things up at dinner!

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese Recipe

 

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Ingredients

• 2 tbs of butter
• 2 tbs of flour
• Punch of salts
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 cup of chicken broth
• 8 oz of reduced fat cream cheese
• 8 oz of reduced fat cheddar cheese
• 1 box of whole wheat elbow
• 1 package of Perdue Perfect Portion Chicken Thighs
• 2½ tbs of sriracha sauce
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp of Olive oil
• 1 package of broccoli florets

Instructions

1. Cook Chicken thighs in 2 tsp of olive oil until done.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions, or al dente.
3. Melt Butter in a medium-large sauce pan.
4. Add in flour and whisk to combine.
5. Allow flour and butter mixture to cook for 1 minute, to cook out raw flour taste.
6. Add in milk, and chicken broth whisking as you add in the liquid.
7. Allow the liquid to come to a slight boil, whisking the entire time, and when the mixture begins to thicken, you can then add in the cheese.
8. Remove from heat once mixture is thick and cheese has been added.
9. Stir in Sriracha sauce.
10. Chop chicken and add to the mixture along with the pasta.
11. Stir to combine. *you can use all milk in this recipe or substitute with cream or half and half, the chicken broth helps to curb calories.*

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