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Crispy Chicken Mac & Cheese

This Crispy Chicken Mac & Cheese combines juicy seasoned chicken with creamy Kraft Mac & Cheese PowerMac for an easy, budget-friendly family dinner. It’s cheesy, filling, packed with flavor, and perfect for feeding a hungry family.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinating Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 9
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

Mac & Cheese
  • 3 boxes Kraft Mac & Cheese PowerMac Original or White Cheddar
  • 12 tablespoons butter or margarine
  • ¾ cup milk
Chicken
  • 1 large chicken breast halved into 2 cutlets
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
  • Fresh parsley optional

Method
 

Season the Chicken
  1. Halve the chicken breast into 2 cutlets. Season with chicken bouillon, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Coat well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Cook the Macaroni
  1. Cook the Kraft Mac & Cheese PowerMac noodles according to package directions, about 13–14 minutes.
Sear the Chicken
  1. While the noodles cook, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 2–3 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from the skillet, let rest, then slice.
Make the Cheese Sauce
  1. In the same skillet, melt the butter. Add the milk and all 3 cheese packets. Let the mixture bubble briefly, stirring until smooth and creamy.
Combine
  1. Drain the cooked noodles and add them directly to the skillet with the cheese sauce. Toss until completely coated.
Serve
  1. Top the mac and cheese with the sliced chicken and fresh parsley, if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

For the juiciest chicken, allow it to marinate for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
Using thin chicken cutlets helps the chicken cook quickly and evenly.
Make the cheese sauce in the same skillet used for the chicken to pick up the extra flavor left behind in the pan.
Add a splash of milk when reheating leftovers to help make the mac and cheese creamy again.