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Chicken & Broccoli Mac & Cheese Bake

Loop & Dash
Who doesn’t love mac & cheese?  Add chicken and broccoli and you have a complete meal.
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb cavatappi pasta
  • 6 cups broccoli florets
  • 1 rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed and shredded
  • 8 tbsp butter, divided
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups whole milk
  • 3 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded (14 oz block)
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ tsp seasoning salt, like Lowry’s
  • 1 tsp dried thyme

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water, according to the package instructions to al dente.  During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets. 
  • Drain pasta and broccoli, rinse with cold water and return to the pot.  Add the shredded chicken and set aside.
  • Heat the oven to 375℉ and prepare a 9 x 12 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or butter.
  • Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes, being sure not to let it brown.  Whisk in the milk until thoroughly incorporated and smooth and bring to a simmer.  Turn the heat down and allow to simmer for 5 -6 minutes, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  Turn off the heat and stir in the shredded cheese.  Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
  • Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta, broccoli, and chicken.  Toss to coat, making sure that the sauce is evenly distributed.  Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish.
  • In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, panko breadcrumbs, seasoning salt, and thyme.  Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the mac and cheese.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Notes

  • If the top starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil.
  • Other types of pasta can be substituted.  Cooking times will need to be adjusted depending on the type.
  • Whole milk is recommended but not required.  The sauce will have a thinner consistency with milk of a lower fat content.  We do not recommend using skim milk for this dish.
  • You can buy broccoli florets pre-cut to save you time.
  • We recommend shredding your own cheese for this recipe.  Pre-shredded cheeses often are coated with a mixture to prevent them from clumping and will change the consistency of the sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 889kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 65g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 231mg | Sodium: 1256mg | Potassium: 896mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 2096IU | Vitamin C: 81mg | Calcium: 843mg | Iron: 3mg
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