The Cajun Chicken Mac And Cheese recipe are one of my favorite recipes. This spicy pasta dish is delicious and has a great amount of flavor. Chicken, cheese, bread, and bread all wrapped up in a delicious bite-sized package. It has a rich and creamy cheese sauce, along with hand-made Cajun spices.
Cajun Chicken Mac And Cheese are one of the most classic American meals. This Cajun Chicken Mac And Cheese recipe is a delicious twist on this classic macaroni and cheese. The spicy cajun seasoning integrates well with the cheddar cheese and the macaroni, while the chicken provides a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Cajun Chicken Mac And Cheese are perfect for chicken lovers. It can be made with any cut of chicken, or even just a whole chicken. The key to making this dish is spices. You need to add the right amount of cajun seasoning, black pepper, and salt to your dish in order to get the right level of spice. The dish is a great way to use up smokey bones, too.
How To Make Cajun Chicken Mac And Cheese
This is a free, easy, and healthy recipe for Cajun Chicken Mac And Cheese. It’s going to be your new favorite comfort food. The flavors and ingredients are so amazing that it’s hard to imagine anyone not loving this dish. Cajun Chicken Mac And Cheese is easy to make and is sure to impress your guests. Cajun Chicken Mac And Cheese Recipe, we are using Cajun spice, which is a blend of black pepper, butter, and garlic powder, but we also add in some cajun seasoning for the flavor.
Ingredients
Chicken
- Chicken breasts or tenders (cubed), 1.5 pounds
- Olive oil light tasting, 2 tablespoons
- Cajun seasoning, 2 tablespoons
Mac N’ Cheese
- 8 oz. elbow or shell pasta uncooked
- Butter, 3 tablespoons
- All-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons
- Onion powder, 1 teaspoon
- Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon
- Milk, 2 cups
- Chicken broth with low sodium or pasta water, ½ cup
- Sharp cheddar cheese shredded, 2 cups
- 4 oz. cream cheese or Velveeta Cheese
- Salt, ¾ teaspoon
- Black pepper fresh ground, 1 teaspoon
- Cajun seasoning, 1 tablespoon
Topping
- Panko bread crumbs plain, ½ cup
- Butter, 2 tablespoons
- Sharp cheddar cheese shredded (for the topping), ½ cup
- Cajun seasoning (low or nonsodium), 1 teaspoon
Step By Step Instructions To Make Cajun Chicken Mac And Cheese
Step 1
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2
To prepare al dente pasta, cook it according to the package instructions. Using an oven-safe skillet, pan-sear the chicken until golden brown on the outside. The set aside. Using a paper towel, gently wipe the skillet to remove leftover liquids.
Step 3
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet. Add the Panko crumbs and Cajun seasoning to the melted butter over medium heat. Remove from heat once it’s “lightly” golden. Set aside.
Step 4
Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet. Mix in the flour with the butter. Combine well to make a smooth paste.
Step 5
Add the milk, chicken broth, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper and Cajun seasoning. On medium heat, mix and simmer until the sauce thickens.
Step 6
Melt the cream cheese and add it to the cheese. Once the cheddar cheese melts, add it to the sauce and stir it until it becomes smooth and creamy.
Step 7
Add the cooked pasta and chicken to the cheese sauce and stir well to coat. Turn off the heat and remove the skillet. Add 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese and sprinkle with panko crumbs.
Step 8
Place the skillet in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden brown.
Step 9
Immediately remove and serve. Add some fresh pepper flakes and parsley to garnish.
Conclusion
We hope that this recipe was able to help you create the perfect dinner for your family! This is one of our favorite recipes to make in the summer when you want something lighter and more refreshing than a traditional Mac and Cheese. You can serve this with a salad on the side, or even with corn on the cob! However you decide to serve it, you will definitely want to try this!
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Cajun Chicken Mac And Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1.5 pounds Chicken breasts or tenders (cubed)
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil light tasting
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
Mac N’ Cheese
- 8 oz elbow or shell pasta uncooked
- 3 tablespoons Butter
- 2 tablespoons All-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 2 cups Milk
- ½ cup Chicken broth with low sodium or pasta water
- 2 cups Sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 4 oz cream cheese or Velveeta Cheese
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper fresh ground
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
Topping
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs plain
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- ½ cup Sharp cheddar cheese shredded (for the topping)
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (low or nonsodium)
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- To prepare al dente pasta, cook it according to the package instructions. Using an oven-safe skillet, pan-sear the chicken until golden brown on the outside. The set aside. Using a paper towel, gently wipe the skillet to remove leftover liquids.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet. Add the Panko crumbs and Cajun seasoning to the melted butter over medium heat. Remove from heat once it's "lightly" golden. Set aside.
- Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet. Mix in the flour with the butter. Combine well to make a smooth paste.
- Add the milk, chicken broth, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper and Cajun seasoning. On medium heat, mix and simmer until the sauce thickens.
- Melt the cream cheese and add it to the cheese. Once the cheddar cheese melts, add it to the sauce and stir it until it becomes smooth and creamy.
- Add the cooked pasta and chicken to the cheese sauce and stir well to coat. Turn off the heat and remove the skillet. Add 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese and sprinkle with panko crumbs.
- Place the skillet in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden brown.
- Immediately remove and serve. Add some fresh pepper flakes and parsley to garnish.