Cajun Chicken Mac and Cheese

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Talk about a dish packed with flavor! Spicy Chicken. Oven Roasted Peppers. Creamy Mac and Cheese! What more could you want in a meal? Our Cajun Chicken Mac and Cheese will be a favorite for the whole family. Kids will love it for the obvious reason (it’s Chicken with Mac and Cheese) and you will love it because it’s got an amazing depth of flavor that elevates all of the ingredients

The hero of this dish in all honesty is the oven roasted Bell Peppers. Oven roasting these beautiful vegetables brings out so much delicious flavor that adds an amazing level of sweetness which cuts through the creaminess of the sauce exceptionally well. It does take a little bit more time to prepare but trust us, it is worth it. In fact, you may only ever eat Peppers this way again. Kind of like people who talk about flying First Class then having to go back to Economy. You’ll never want to go back!

Save time, use a Cajun Spice Mix!

I’m not sure if you would consider this cutting corners or not, however for our Cajun Chicken Mac and Cheese we’re recommending using Cajun Seasoning, which is plentifully available at the supermarket. Sure you could make your own Cajun Seasoning (a mix of spices such as Paprika, Chili, Onions, Garlic, Fennel), but isn’t it just easier to go straight for the Cajun Seasoning? We think so

Finally, the Mac and Cheese in this dish is something we’re quite proud of. It’s our classic Mac and Cheese recipe which we subtly refer to as ‘The Best Mac and Cheese Ever’. We’re not kidding either! We’ve tried a lot of Mac over the years. Trust us – this is the best!

How to make this delicious Cajun Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe

This is an easy dish to make, and you can enjoy it’s wonderful flavors in just about 40 minutes. The recipe follows a very classical approach to Mac and Cheese by creating a roux-based cheese sauce. Combining melted Butter with Flour, cooking it down and then adding in enough Milk to create a creamy sauce is all you need to do

Once you’ve achieved the desired consistency for your sauce, it’s time to add the Cheese! Depending on how you like your Mac and Cheese, you can mix and match the cheese types here. For our recipe we’re opting for a classic combination of Cheddar, Gruyere and Parmesan Cheese

This three Cheese combination is perfect for Mac and Cheese. You get the wonderful sharp bite from the Cheddar, the gooey, creaminess from the Gruyere, and that awesome nuttiness from the Parmesan. It’s a great combination of cheesy flavors and textures that works great in Mac and Cheese. We use two times the quantity of Cheddar and Gruyere than we do Parmesan. This will get you the best consistency

A perhaps ‘not so secret’ ingredient to flavor Parmesan Cheese

This one used to be the secret weapon of restaurants churning out amazing Mac and Cheese for years before the secret got out! That is, to add a generous amount of good quality Dijon Mustard to the Cheese Sauce. The Dijon Mustard brings out so much flavor in the dish. Rich, creamy, and slightly spicy. It’s a secret ingredient that is now almost as important as the cheese itself in a great Mac and Cheese Dish!

We keep the Chicken simple, let the spices of the Seasoning do the work

The spices from a Cajun Spice Mix are quite powerful and will transform the flavor of the Chicken instantly. Season the Chicken liberally with the Spice mix and then cook it up in the frying pan over a relatively high heat

Let the Chicken rest once it’s cooked so all those juices are retained into the Chicken. Once the Mac and Cheese is done then we cut up the Chicken Pieces into bite-sized chunks and scatter them liberally into the Mac and Cheese. Then, scoop out some big spoonful’s onto individual bowls and it’s time to eat!

Cajun Chicken Mac and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 box of Cavatappi Pasta (16 oz)
• 2 Bell Peppers, cut in half
• 4 tbsp. White Flour
• 4 cups Whole Milk
• 2 cups Cheddar Cheese, Grated
• 2 cup Gruyere Cheese, Grated
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, Grated
• 1 heaped tbsp. Dijon Mustard
• 4 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
• 4 tsp. Cajun Seasoning or Cajun Spice Blend
• Salt
  
  

Instructions

1. Place the Bell Peppers skin side up on a large baking tray lined with aluminum foil. Roast in the Oven at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the skin is scorched and turning black
2. Remove Peppers from the Oven and when cool, carefully peel the skin off the Peppers. Discard the Peppers and the Stork, just leaving the delicious flesh. Cut into bite sized pieces and set aside
   
   
   
   

Instructions Continued

3. Cover the Chicken Breasts with the Cajun Seasoning and then pan fry them in a large frypan over medium heat, turning twice. Cook until the internal temperature of the Chicken is 160 degrees, which should take about 10 – 15 minutes. Once cooked, set aside to rest
4. Prepare the Mac and Cheese by first melting the Butter in a large pot or dutch oven over the stovetop on medium / low heat. Once melted, add the Flour and stir continuously until cooked – about 3-4 minutes
5. Slowly pour in the Milk and whisk well to remove any lumps in the sauce. Drop the heat to low and stir constantly until the sauce begins to thicken, which should be about 20 minutes. You want the sauce to give some resistance and easily coat the back of a spoon
6. Add the Cheese, Dijon Mustard, and Salt to the sauce and stir until the ingredients have fully incorporated. The level of Salt is based on your preference – we’d recommend adding 1 tbsp. then adjusting from there
7. Add the pasta to a large pot of boiling, salted water and cook until al-dente (slightly chewy but tender) about 7-8 minutes. Drain then add to the Cheese Sauce
8. Final step is to cut the Chicken into bite sized pieces and add to the Mac and Cheese along with the Bell Peppers. You’re ready to eat!
   
   
   

We hope you enjoy our Cajun Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe. It’s beautiful with a simple side salad, so check out our Salads page here

We love a good, hearty recipe like this one here at Dinnertime Somewhere. Here are some of our other favorite hearty dishes that we’d love for you to give a try on your next big cook up:

• Hearty Vegetable Soup
• Braised Beef with Noodles
• Cajun Steak and Grits
• Lemon and Dill Risotto
  
  

Happy Cooking!