Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

Hey there bloggy friends...so my posts lately have been pretty far apart and not the greatest of content. I blame this on the fact that our laptop has been at the doctor for the past 3-ish weeks and posting from our ipad just doesn't seem reasonable. Also, my work has banned me from uploading pics to my blog (I mean, it's like they expect me to work all day while I'm here or something :))


So, with that being said, I would like to share a recipe today. I made this last night (1/2 batch) and it was amazing! Chris ate half the pan some when he got home from work and really liked it! Success! It's not as simple as Easy Mac, but I think it's definitely worth the extra effort. As she states, the ingredient list is pretty extensive, but I only had to pick up 2 items from the store to make this meal. I used 1/2 bread crumbs and 1/2 panko bread crumbs (that's what I had on hand) and I think the panko bread crumbs made the chicken crispier.


I hope you enjoy it as much as we did - let me know if you try it.


http://www.wearenotmartha.com/2010/06/buffalo-chicken-mac-and-cheese/


Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese:

• 2 C unseasoned breadcrumbs
• 11/2 T cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 T ground cumin
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large eggs
• 1 lb. chicken cutlets
• 6 T canola oil
• 1 lb. elbow macaroni (whole wheat if you want)
• 8 T (1 stick) butter, divided (6 T and 2 T)
• 3 C chopped onions
• 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 C all-purpose flour
• 4 C 2% milk
• 1 C reduced fat cheddar cheese
• 1 C crumbly blue cheese
• 1 C buffalo spice cheese (use Monterey jack if you can’t find)
• 2 T paprika
• 1 C Frank’s RedHot Original (I used the extra hot variety)

Mix together the breadcrumbs, salt, cumin, cayenne, and pepper in one bowl.


And beat the eggs together in a separate bowl.


And you’re ready to make the chicken! Coat chicken cutlets with breadcrumbs, dip in eggs, and then coat again with more breadcrumbs. Put on a plate and repeat with all the cutlets.


Now, in a large skillet, heat 1/4 C of canola oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken tenders and cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides.


Repeat with all the chicken and move to paper towels to drain. When it cools a bit, you’ll need to cut into 1-inch pieces.


Now you’re ready to cook your macaroni. Boil it in a large pot until tender, but not cooked through (super al dente, if you will). Drain and transfer to a large bowl.


Melt 6 T of butter in same pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, covered, for about 6 minutes. Onions should be soft, but not browned. Make sure you keep stirring.


Now, add the flour and stir for 2 minutes.


Then whisk in milk and bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for about 2 minutes. Add all the cheeses, paprika, 1 t salt, and 1 t pepper. Whisk until all the cheeses melt and sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes.


Remove from heat and mix cheese sauce in bowl with macaroni. Also, mix in half the chicken pieces.


Now transfer the macaroni mixture into a 13x9x2 glass baking dish. I told you this is a lot of mac and cheese.


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake macaroni uncovered until heated through, for about 25 minutes.


Now, stir the Frank’s RedHot and remaining 2 T of butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter milks. Take macaroni out of oven, top with remaining chicken, and pout ReHot/butter mixture over the top (about 4 tablespoons).


Bake 5-7 minutes more. And serve!