Bacon, Ranch, and Chicken Mac and Cheese
I saw this recipe in Cooking Light - and because I am not a fan of ranch dressing, it didn't hit me as something I really longed to make. I can't say this was my favorite recipe - but if you are looking for a different kind of Mac-n-Cheese - and you DO love ranch dressing - this is the ideal recipe for you.
I saw this recipe in Cooking Light - and because I am not a fan of ranch dressing, it didn't hit me as something I really longed to make. I can't say this was my favorite recipe - but if you are looking for a different kind of Mac-n-Cheese - and you DO love ranch dressing - this is the ideal recipe for you.
- cooking spray
- 8 ouncesâ uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1 slice applewood-smoked bacon
- 8 ouncesâ skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoonâ butter
- 1 tablespoonâ all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cupsâ fat-free milk
- 1/3 cupâ condensed 45% reduced-sodium 98% fat-free cre undiluted
- 3/4 cupâ (3 ounces) shredded six-cheese italian blend
- 1/2 teaspoonâ onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoonâ garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoonâ chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 teaspoonâ salt
- 1/2 cupâ (2 ounces) shredded colby-jack cheese
- Carbohydrate 0.37242 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.41642 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0.00468 g
- Saturated Fat 0.2088 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (1g)
- Sodium 1.062 mg
- Sugar 0.37242 g
- Trans Fat 0.0266400000000001 g
- Calories 14 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
- Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Finely chop bacon; set aside. Increase heat to medium-high. Add chicken to drippings in pan; sauté 6 minutes or until done.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; sprinkle flour evenly into pan. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Combine milk and soup, stirring with a whisk; gradually add milk mixture to saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until sauce cools to 155°. Add Italian cheese blend, onion powder, garlic powder, dill, and salt, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in pasta and chicken.
- Preheat broiler.
- Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with reserved bacon and Colby-Jack cheese. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts.
Sequencing the Skillet and Saucepan
Cooking bacon before chicken in the same skillet seasons the pan with rendered fat that browns the poultry pieces efficiently. Cook the chicken for six minutes over medium-high heat to develop exterior color without drying out the interior meat. While the meat cooks, manage the roux in a separate saucepan. Whisking flour into melted butter and cooking it for two minutes eliminates the raw starch flavor before the dairy is introduced. Allowing the dairy sauce to cool to 155 degrees before adding the Italian cheese blend prevents the proteins from breaking and turning grainy.
Balancing Preserved and Fresh Elements
Using condensed soup as a base introduces concentrated sodium and shelf-stable stabilizers that mimic rich heavy cream without extra fat. Fresh dill and garlic powder cut through that canned density with pungent, botanical top notes. Raw chicken breast yields a cleaner texture than pre-cooked or canned poultry, absorbing the surrounding sauce rather than releasing excess moisture. Freshly shredded Colby-Jack cheese melts more evenly under the broiler than pre-bagged varieties coated in anti-caking cellulose. Broil the assembled dish for exactly three minutes to blister the top layer without scorching the pasta underneath.
