Chicken Macaroni Southern Style (Printable Version)

Comforting pasta bake with chicken, bell peppers, and eggs in a creamy cheese sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni

→ Chicken

02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 large red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 cup frozen peas, thawed

→ Eggs

07 - 3 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

→ Sauce

08 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
09 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
10 - 2 cups whole milk
11 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
13 - 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
14 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
15 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
16 - 1/2 tsp paprika
17 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder

→ Topping

18 - 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
19 - 1/2 cup crushed buttery crackers or panko breadcrumbs
20 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
21 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil macaroni in salted water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, red bell pepper, and celery, cooking until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in peas and cook for an additional minute. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
04 - In the same skillet, sprinkle flour over remaining butter and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually add milk and chicken broth, whisking constantly until smooth. Cook until thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses until melted. Season with salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
06 - Add cooked macaroni, chicken, chopped eggs, and sautéed vegetables to the mixing bowl. Pour cheese sauce over and gently fold to combine everything evenly.
07 - Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese.
08 - Mix crushed crackers or breadcrumbs with melted butter. Evenly sprinkle this over the casserole.
09 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until bubbly and golden. Let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • The hard-boiled eggs are the secret weapon that makes people ask what you did differently.
  • One pan, one dish, and everyone at the table goes quiet because they're too busy eating.
02 -
  • Don't skip the five-minute rest after baking; it lets the sauce set so your servings stay together instead of sliding into a puddle.
  • If your sauce looks too thick before you add the pasta, it'll tighten up even more in the oven, so err on the side of slightly loose here.
03 -
  • Make the cheese sauce the day before and store it separately; when you're ready to assemble, just reheat it gently and fold in the other ingredients for a faster weeknight dinner.
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, this recipe doubles easily in a large roasting pan, though you'll need to add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.
Return