Recipe Background
Grandma, Grandma, Grandma, what have you done?! This Mac N' Chicken Bake is from a page right out of our childhood, but with an adult-cheese update! All the melted Gouda cheese-covered macaroni, juicy chicken, sweet peas and carrots you could ever dream of, to take you right back to Saturday nights at Grandma's. So, grab a spoonful of your younger days gone by and make this Mac N' Chicken Bake while you sit down and reminisce about those carefree days. It will definitely be a delicious journey! Thanks Grandma!
Grandma, Grandma, Grandma, what have you done?! This Mac N' Chicken Bake is from a page right out of our childhood, but with an adult-cheese update! All the melted Gouda cheese-covered macaroni, juicy chicken, sweet peas and carrots you could ever dream of, to take you right back to Saturday nights at Grandma's. So, grab a spoonful of your younger days gone by and make this Mac N' Chicken Bake while you sit down and reminisce about those carefree days. It will definitely be a delicious journey! Thanks Grandma!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided, plus more, to taste, for greasing the dish
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni or small pasta shells
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces smoked Gouda cheese shredded or cut into small pieces
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley optional, chopped
- 1 1/2-2 cups chicken cooked and cubed
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots thawed, drained
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Using the extra butter, grease an 8-inch square baking dish.
- In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the macaroni to al dente, according to the package directions. Drain the macaroni, transfer it to a large bowl, and set it aside.
- In a saucepan, add 3 tablespoons of the butter and melt it over medium-low heat.
- Add the flour to the melted butter and cook, stirring continually until the flour is well-blended, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the chicken broth and the heavy cream to the flour mixture and stir to combine.
- Add the Gouda cheese to the sauce mixture, stirring continually, until melted and smooth.
- Add the salt, the black pepper, and the parsley to the sauce mixture, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened.
- Add the chicken and the peas and carrots to the sauce mixture, stirring to combine, and cook, for about 1 minute.
- Add the sauce mixture to the macaroni and stir well to combine.
- Transfer the macaroni mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- In a small microwave-safe dish, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and microwave until it is melted.
- Add the breadcrumbs to the melted butter and toss to combine well.
- Evenly sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top of the macaroni mixture.
- Bake, uncovered, until bubbly and browned, for about 25 minutes.
- Plate and serve.
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