This BBQ Chicken Macaroni and Cheese is an easy twist on a classic and so delicious. The ultimate comfort food!
One of our family’s favorite comfort meals is barbecue chicken with a side of homemade macaroni and cheese. So I thought, why not combine the two into one glorious, cheesy casserole dish? It’s so hearty and filling. We love to dig into this at the end of the long work day. Bonus points if there’s a crisp chill in the air and we can eat it under a cozy blanket on the couch.
BBQ Chicken Macaroni and Cheese
Let’s start with the chicken first. This recipe is meant to be easy and no stress, so do yourself a favor and pick up a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store. You can use it for all kinds of things, and it shreds up perfectly for this recipe. Or if you have some frozen chicken breasts at home, simply boil them and shred with a fork. You can also cook chicken in your instant pot or slow cooker. Easy peasy!
Next, grab a bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce or whip up my delicious homemade barbecue sauce and stir into your shredded chicken. Then set it aside while you make the rest of the mac and cheese.
How to Make a Good Roux
The trick to making a good macaroni and cheese is to make sure that you make a good roux to start the sauce.
- First combine the flour and melted butter really well with a whisk.
- Let the flour and butter heat for about one minute to get rid of the flour taste.
- Next, slowly add the milk and watch it thicken up. Like a tablespoon at a time.
- If you scroll all the way to the bottom, you can see a video of me making this beauty and watch how a roux should look.
Breadcrumb Topping
The breadcrumb topping is super easy to make and adds such terrific texture to this recipe. Just melt some butter and stir into your breadcrumbs and spread over the top of the whole casserole. As it bakes it gives the dish a deliciously crunchy crust. Yum!
What to Serve with BBQ Chicken Macaroni and Cheese
This dish is wonderful all on its own, or you can serve it with a simple green salad or any side vegetable. Try my Apple Pecan Fall Salad or my crispy Kale Salad for a delicious and well-rounded meal any night of the week!
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Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni cooked and drained
- 4 TBSPs unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups milk I used skim
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup bbq sauce
- 2 cups cooked chicken
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 TBSPs butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 3 quart baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray and setting aside.
- Melt the 4 TBSPs butter over medium heat. Once fully melted, add the flour and whisk it in until it is completely combined. Cook until it is just light brown. Add the milk a little bit at a time, starting wit about a tablespoon. Whisk it in until fully combined and then add just another small bit, whisking that until combined. Continue until it is fully combined and all the milk is used.
- Reduce the heat, and stir in the cheddar cheese until fully melted into the sauce. Then add in the bbq sauce and the chicken.
- Stir in the noodles. You can then serve it as is or you can bake it.
- If you bake it, mix together the bread crumbs and melted butter. Pour the macaroni and cheese into the baking dish and then top with the bread crumb mixture and bake for 25 minutes.
Recipe Video
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BBQ Chicken Macaroni and Cheese
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BBQ Chicken Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni cooked and drained
- 4 TBSPs unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups milk I used skim
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup bbq sauce
- 2 cups cooked chicken
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 TBSPs butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 3 quart baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray and setting aside.
- Melt the 4 TBSPs butter over medium heat. Once fully melted, add the flour and whisk it in until it is completely combined. Cook until it is just light brown. Add the milk a little bit at a time, starting wit about a tablespoon. Whisk it in until fully combined and then add just another small bit, whisking that until combined. Continue until it is fully combined and all the milk is used.
- Reduce the heat, and stir in the cheddar cheese until fully melted into the sauce. Then add in the bbq sauce and the chicken.
- Stir in the noodles. You can then serve it as is or you can bake it.
- If you bake it, mix together the bread crumbs and melted butter. Pour the macaroni and cheese into the baking dish and then top with the bread crumb mixture and bake for 25 minutes.
Video
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