Description
This is not your average macaroni and cheese. This boosted mac and cheese is loaded with veggies and protein, making it not only delicious but nutritious too. Add this recipe to your arsenal for when you’re looking for something comforting but you still want to eat your veggies.
Ingredients
Scale
2 chicken breasts
½ head small – medium cauliflower
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp hot sauce
¼ tsp Dijon mustard
¾ cup shredded old cheddar cheese, divided
¾ cup dry macaroni noodles
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp bread crumbs
3 Tbsp pasta water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425. Cut chicken into bite-size cubes, lay on one half of a parchment lined sheet pan. Cut cauliflower into small bite sized florets. Lay cauliflower pieces on the other half of the sheet pan.
- Drizzle cauliflower and chicken with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for ~15-20 mins, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, boil pasta in salted water according to instructions.
- When pasta is cooked, strain (reserving some of the pasta water), then add the noodles back to the pot. Mix noodles with 3 tbsp pasta water, 1 tbsp butter and ½ cup shredded cheese.
- Pour pasta mixture into a casserole dish and add roasted cauliflower, gently tossing until evenly mixed. Sprinkle the casserole mixture with the remaining ¼ cup of cheese and bread crumbs. Broil at 500F until cheese has melted and bread crumbs are lightly toasted, about 6 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt remaining butter in the microwave and whisk in hot sauce. Pour over cooked cooked chicken pieces, tossing to coat. Top the broiled casserole with buffalo chicken bites and serve.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
Keywords: macaroni and cheese, mac and cheese, buffalo chicken, cauliflower, roasted cauliflower