Chipotle Chicken Mac and Cheese

Chipotle Chicken Mac and Cheese - Gluten Free

This easy gluten free Chipotle Chicken Macaroni and Cheese recipe takes the boring out of mac and cheese.  It’s also a lighter version than most mac and cheese recipes since it uses reduced fat cheddar and milk as well as less cheese in the overall recipe.  But you won’t be sacrificing taste since those smoky chipotles bring a ton of flavor to this dish.  

This is a great recipe to make in the summer since it’s a stove top mac and cheese versus the baked variety so you won’t be heating up the whole kitchen.  If you’re not watching your weight or dare I say even trying to gain weight then I have a few recipe suggestions tailored just for you.  First, you can use full fat milk and cheese in the recipe. Doubling the amount of cheddar called for in the ingredients will also bring this to a whole new level.  But the lower fat version is pretty indulgent tasting too.  And the leftovers of either version make one heck of a lunch the next day. 

Chipotle Chicken Mac and Cheese

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 10 min

Ingredients

• 3 cups 2% milk 
• 2 tbsp butter
• ½ tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• a cornstarch slurry (2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water)
• 1 cup extra sharp cheddar , grated
• 2 oz American cheese
• 3 chipotle peppers, finely diced
• 1 tbsp of adobo sauce, optional
• 12 oz   gluten free elbows.
• 3 cups cooked diced chicken breast 

Video Tutorial:

Instructions

1. Cook the elbow macaroni in salted boiling water 2 minutes shy of the package instructions then drain them and toss them with a little olive oil to keep them from sticking together.
2. In a large shallow pan, over a medium heat, add the milk, butter, salt and pepper and bring it up to a boil. 
3. Just when it starts to boil add the cornstarch slurry and stir as it simmers for about 1 minute then add both the American and cheddar cheeses and stir until melted.
4. Add the diced chipotles, adobo sauce and elbow macaroni then stir to combine. 
5. Add the chicken and continue stirring until the chicken is heated through. Optionally sprinkle with a little paprika or cayenne pepper and serve. 

Notes:  For a milder dish deseed the chipotle peppers prior to dicing them and omit the extra adobo sauce from the recipe.  If you want to make this as a baked mac and cheese dinner, when the dish is finished, pour the contents of the pan into a greased casserole dish, sprinkle on more cheese or some buttered gluten free bread crumbs and broil it for 5 minutes or so until the top is crunchy.