Indulge in a fusion of bold flavors with my Cajun Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe. Bring together, tender chicken breast seasoned with smoky Cajun spices, combined with creamy, cheesy pasta for a delightful twist on a classic comfort food. Make a similar pasta dish by trying my Cajun Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo recipe.
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Try adding Cajun seasoning to my Cauliflower Mac and Cheese for a lighter, but still satisfying version of this recipe. If you are a fan of this seasoning, then I recommend my Cajun Risotto and my Crispy Cajun Chicken Sandwich recipes!
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Ingredients
- Elbow Macaroni
- Chicken Breasts
- Butter
- Flour
- Milk
- Cajun Seasoning (affiliate link) or see below recipe
- Cream Cheese
- Cheddar Cheese
- Bell Pepper
- Panko Crumbs
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Cajun Seasoning
Combine these ingredients to make a homemade Cajun Seasoning.
- 2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoon Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400F and bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add salt to the water and cook the elbow macaroni until al dente. When ready, drain the pasta and reserve.
Cut the chicken breasts into half inch cubes. It is best to do so on a plastic cutting board (affiliate link) so that you can pass it through the dishwasher.
In a large oven-proof skillet (affiliate link), on medium-high heat, cook the cubed chicken fully. Mix in part of the Cajun seasoning into the cooked chicken and then remove it from the skillet.
Melt the butter into the skillet, and when melted, whisk in the flour to make a smooth paste (called a roux).
Pour ½ cup of milk at a time into the roux and whisk it in until smooth again. Repeat until you have used up all the milk. Slowly whisk until sauce has thickened back up.
Cut the cream cheese into small pieces and add it into the simmering sauce. Whisk until it has melted completely. Continue by whisking in most of the grated cheddar cheese and the rest of the Cajun seasoning, until smooth.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Add in the cooked pasta, the cooked chicken and the finely diced bell pepper. Stir to combine.
Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top, followed by the panko crumbs. Place the skillet into the preheated 400F oven for 15-20 minutes. Place under the broil if you want more of a crust on top.
Substitutions and Variations
- Classic Mac and Cheese - Remove the Cajun seasoning from the recipe for a plain yet delicious Mac and Cheese. In that case, I would recommend adding a tablespoon of dry oregano or basil to the sauce, but that it totally optional.
- Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese - Follow this recipe for more bold flavor!
- Veggies - Replace the bell pepper in this recipe with any vegetable you would like to add to the Mac and Cheese; like frozen or canned corn, green peas or other.
Storage
Store any remaining Cajun Chicken Mac and Cheese in airtight containers (affiliate link) and place in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. It also keeps very well in the freezer for up to a month, to make quick on-the-go meals.
Recipe
Cajun Chicken Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups Uncooked Elbow Macaroni
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil to cook the chicken
- 2 pounds Chicken Breast cut in ½ inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning see notes
- ½ cup Bell Pepper finely diced
Cheese Sauce
- ¼ cup Butter
- 3 tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
- 2 cup Milk
- 5 oz Cream Cheese
- 1½ cup Grated Cheddar
- 1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
Toppings
- ⅓ cup Panko Crumbs
- ½ cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven 400F and bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Place the elbow macaroni in the boiling water with a pinch of salt and cook as per the instructions on the package, or until al dente. When ready, strain and reserve.
- While the pasta is cooking, place an large oven-safe skillet on the stove on medium-high heat. Drizzle in the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and fully cook the cubed chicken. Turn the heat down to medium.
- Sprinkle the 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning over the cooked chicken and stir it in. Continue by removing the cooked chicken from the skillet and placing it into a clean bowl.
To make the cheese sauce
- In the same skillet start making the cheese sauce. Melt down the butter, and when the butter is melted, whisk in the flour to make the roux. Simmer for 30 seconds.
- Whisk in about ½ cup of milk at a time into the roux, making sure that the sauce start to become smooth again before adding the rest of the milk.
- When the sauce comes back to a simmer add in the cream cheese in small pieces. Whisk it in until fully melted.
- Add 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning and the 1 ½ cup of grated cheddar to the sauce and stir until melted. When fully melted and smooth, remove skillet from the heat.
Assemble the Mac and Cheese
- Add the cooked chicken and pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Toss in the chopped bell pepper and stir everything together until well combined and everything is covered in the sauce.
- Sprinkle the ½ cup grated cheddar evenly on top of the mac and cheese and then sprinkle on the panko crumbs.
- Place the skillet (uncovered) in the preheated 400F oven for 20 minutes. Place under the broil if wanting a crispier top. Take out of the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- 2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoon Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
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