Chicken Macaroni Southern Style (Printer-friendly)

Comforting pasta bake featuring tender chicken, bell peppers, sautéed vegetables, and melted cheese topping.

# 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 elbow macaroni in salted water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Melt 4 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sauté until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in peas and cook for 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to a large mixing bowl.
04 - Sprinkle flour over remaining butter in skillet, whisk for 1 minute. Gradually add milk and chicken broth, whisking constantly until smooth. Cook until thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Remove skillet from heat. Stir in sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese until melted. Season with salt, 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.
07 - Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheddar cheese.
08 - Combine crushed crackers or breadcrumbs with melted butter. Evenly sprinkle over casserole.
09 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It uses up leftover rotisserie chicken without tasting like leftovers at all.
  • The combination of two cheeses gives you that perfect stretch and tang.
  • Hard-boiled eggs folded in make it feel like a hug in a casserole dish.
  • The buttery cracker topping adds crunch that balances all that creamy pasta.
02 -
  • If you skip the roux step or rush it, your sauce will be thin and grainy instead of creamy.
  • Adding the cheese off the heat keeps it from breaking and turning greasy.
  • Letting the casserole rest after baking makes all the difference, it firms up and doesn't slide apart on the plate.
03 -
  • Shred your own cheese from a block instead of buying pre-shredded, it melts smoother and tastes sharper.
  • If the sauce looks too thick, whisk in a splash more milk before folding in the pasta.
  • Crush the crackers by hand in a zip-top bag so you get uneven pieces, they crisp up better than uniform crumbs.
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