Sometimes, I eat like a 10 year old. Sure there are nights I drool over the idea of sophisticated cuisine….and then are those nights I want to shove chicken strips, Mac and cheese, or pizza rolls into my face. Those nights…make my kiddos extremely happy. Oh, and Shaun T and/or Tony Horton since I usually pop in guilt ridden exercise session soon thereafter. Now if I could stop following THAT up with a Push Up…of the frozen treat kind!
Anyways, back to yummy goodness. The other day I found myself in a conundrum over which childhood fave I wanted to make. Why choose?? Let’s just mix them together! Perhaps, we will even spice it up a little…bring a little maturity and sophistication to the chicken strips and mac and cheese. Soon…I was doing a happy dance. I never said I was mature….
You can definitely throw in some actual cooked chicken breast into this in place of the chicken strips/nuggets, if you want to be all fancy and what not. There’s just something about that crunchy coating..and finely milled chicken….mmmmmm.
Chicken and Bacon Mac, with a kick if you will. That night all of the kiddos in my house were happy…those young….and those young at heart.
Chicken and Bacon Mac
Ingredients
- 1 pound Elbow Macaroni
- 3 Tablespoons Butter
- 3 ounces weight Cream Cheese
- ½ cups Milk
- 1 cup Cheese Sauce Canned Or Jarred
- 2 Tablespoons Diced Green Chiles
- 2 Tablespoons Pimentos
- 1 pound Bacon Cooked And Diced
- 16 ounces weight Battered Chicken Strips/nuggets, Cooked According To Package Instructions And Rough Chopped
- ½ cups Cheddar Cheese Shredded
- Salt And Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. When it’s done drain it, return pasta to the pot and set aside.
- In a saucepan over medium low heat, melt butter and cream cheese, heating and stirring until smooth. Add the milk, cheese sauce, green chilies, pimentos, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook over medium low heat to thicken slightly and to allow the flavors to “melt” together.
- Into the pot with the pasta, add the sauce, bacon and roughly chopped chicken. Toss to thoroughly combine. Add the shredded cheddar and lightly toss again. Serve!
