Buffalo Chicken Mac n Cheese

Buffalo chicken mac n cheese is the perfect combination of fried buffalo chicken pieces and a homemade creamy macaroni and cheese.

No longer is macaroni and cheese a side dish meant for kids, adding unique flavors and meat to macaroni, you can make a whole meal out of a something uniquely simple.

ingredients

MAC N CHEESE

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 8 ounces rotini pasta, cooked al dente

TOPPING

• 1 cup fried chicken nuggets
• 2 tablespoons buffalo sauce
• 2 tablespoons ranch dressing
• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• fresh parsley, chopped

instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In a oven-proof skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the butter and whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes or until the roux turns light brown.
3. Remove the skillet from the heat and gradually pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Return the pan to the heat and whisk until the mixture has thickened, 3-5 minutes.
4. To the roux, add the salt, ground mustard, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine.
5. Add the grated cheddar and mozzarella, stirring to melt. Add the cooked noodles and toss to coat completely in the cheese mixture.
6. Top noodles with the remaining 1/4 cups of cheddar and mozzarella. Place skillet in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese on top has melted, slightly turned brown, and the mixture is bubbling.
7. While the mac n cheese is baking, toss fried chicken nuggets in with 2 tablespoons buffalo sauce.
8. When the mac n cheese is ready, dump the buffalo chicken on top of the noodles, drizzle over ranch dressing, and sprinkle on some chopped parsley.
9. Serve immediately and drizzle over some more buffalo sauce if desired.