Chipotle Mac and Cheese with Chicken

This Southwestern-Mexican dish is inspired by the bold, smoky flavor of chipotle pepper in adobo. Think classic comfort food meets chile-forward heat. A Southwestern version of America's favorite dish.

Course Pasta Recipes

Cuisine Southwestern

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 384kcal

Author Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

1 pound Cooked chicken breast cubed or shredded
1 pound dry pasta such as shells or elbow
1 teaspoon kosher salt
10 ounce can evaporated milk
4 tablespoons butter room temperature
8 ounces pepper jack cheese cubed in advance, room temperature
8 ounces velveeta cubed in advance, room temperature
1 teaspoon ground mustard powder
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce fine chopped
½ teaspoon adobo sauce

Instructions

Cook The Chicken: Spray a baking dish with PAM. Place the chicken breasts in the baking dish, salt and pepper them and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, cut into cubes or shred.
Cube The Cheese: While the chicken is baking, cube the cheese and let it sit at room temperature until ready to cook the macaroni and cheese. Set out the butter and let it come to room temperature.
Cook The Pasta: Add elbow macaroni to a 6 qt. Dutch oven. Add enough water to just cover the pasta. Cook for about 6 minutes or until macaroni is tender and water has mostly evaporated. Stir frequently so the macaroni doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. No need to drain the pasta.
Finish the dish: Add evaporated milk and butter. Stir and bring to a simmer.
Remove the pot from the heat and add the cubed cheese, chipotle peppers and sauce and mustard powder. Stir well until cheese is melted and ingredients combined.
Add the cooked and cubed (or shredded) chicken. Stir well, it should look glossy and lush. Serve immediately.

Notes

This Chicken Chipotle Mac and Cheese has just the right hint of heat. Chipotle peppers are smoked jalapeno peppers and the veins and stems have not removed. This can cause a good amount of heat. I used one, but please feel free to kick it up a notch and add two peppers. Same goes with the adobo sauce. If you're worried about the heat of the pepper, slice it open and scrape out the veins and seeds. That's where a lot of the heat lies.

Not crazy about Velveeta? Since Pepper Jack is a soft cheese, feel free to switch Velveeta to a Cheddar of your choice. I'd recommend mild or medium. Sharp with alter the intended flavor of this dish.

This recipe was originally published to cook in the Instant Pot. I've republished to be a stove-top version, simply because I prefer to haul out my Dutch Oven rather than the Instant pot. But both work well.

Instant Pot Version:

In the insert of an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, add macaroni, 4 Cups water, butter, kosher salt, ground mustard, chipolte peppers and adobo sauce. Cook in the pressure cooker for 5 minutes on high, then quick release. Add the evaporated milk and half of the cheeses and use a wooden spoon to vigorously stir until the cheeses have melted then repeat with the rest of the cheese, stirring until the sauce is creamy. Add cubed chicken and serve.

Nutrition