Honey Pepper Chicken Mac and Cheese

3 weeks ago

This recipe combines the comforting flavors of mac and cheese with the sweet and spicy kick of honey pepper chicken. It’s a perfect dish for a weeknight dinner or a casual gathering.

Ingredients:

For the Chicken:

Ingredient	Quantity
Chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces	1 pound
Buttermilk	1 cup
All-purpose flour	1 cup
Paprika	1 teaspoon
Garlic powder	1/2 teaspoon
Salt and black pepper	To taste
Vegetable oil	For frying

For the Honey Pepper Sauce:

Ingredient	Quantity
Honey	1/3 cup
Soy sauce	1 tablespoon
Apple cider vinegar	1 tablespoon
Black pepper	1 teaspoon
Red pepper flakes (optional)	1/4 teaspoon

For the Mac and Cheese:

Ingredient	Quantity
Elbow macaroni	2 cups
Unsalted butter	3 tablespoons
All-purpose flour	3 tablespoons
Whole milk	2 cups
Heavy cream	1 cup
Shredded cheddar cheese	2 cups
Shredded mozzarella cheese	1 cup
Salt	1/2 teaspoon
Black pepper	1/4 teaspoon

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Chicken: Marinate the chicken in buttermilk, salt, and pepper for at least 30 minutes. Dredge in a flour mixture of flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Fry in hot oil until golden brown and cooked through.
2. Make the Honey Pepper Sauce: Combine honey, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes in a saucepan. Heat and stir until thickened. Toss the fried chicken in the sauce.

Cook the Macaroni: Boil elbow macaroni according to package instructions until al dente. Drain.
Make the Cheese Sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan, whisk in flour, and cook until bubbly. Gradually whisk in milk and heavy cream until thickened. Stir in cheddar and mozzarella cheese until melted and smooth.
Combine Mac and Cheese: Add cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir to combine.
Serve: Spoon mac and cheese into bowls and top with honey pepper chicken. Garnish with parsley, if desired.