Chicken Pesto Mac and Cheese
Chicken Pesto Mac and Cheese ~ elbow macaroni and tender bites of chicken in a creamy, silky pesto flavored cheese sauce.
Servings: 4
Calories:
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 boneless chicken breast cut in bite size pieces
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk full fat
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 1/4 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/2 cup pesto homemade or store-bought + OPTIONAL extra pesto for garnish/serving
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a deep skillet over medium-high heat and once it’s hot, add the bite-size pieces of chicken. Season with salt and pepper and allow the chicken to sear, cooking completely through then remove from the skillet.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat then whisk in the flour and cook for 3 minutes.
- Slowly add the milk, whisking over medium heat and scraping up any brown bits remaining from the chicken.
- When it’s completely combined and bubbly, add the water, stock, dry mustard and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper.
- Pour in the UNCOOKED macaroni to the sauce, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and allow the pasta to gently cook stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
- Remove the skillet from the heat source and slowly add the cheeses a little at a time, combining thoroughly then fold in the pesto and chicken. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.