Are you prepared to vary up your traditional mac and cheese recipe? If that’s the case, this creamy King Ranch Mac and Cheese recipe with hen is the right manner to try this!
Why You’ll Love My Straightforward King Ranch Mac and Cheese with Hen
- The Excellent Tex-Mex Mac and Cheese! In the event you’re a fan of Tex-Mex recipes, you’ll LOVE this macaroni and cheese. Impressed by King Ranch hen casserole, King Ranch Mac and Cheese with hen will blow your thoughts. It’s tacky, it’s creamy, and oh so satisfying.
- Make It Forward! This dinner thought is ideal to make forward and freeze. Which additionally means it’s a REALLY in style dish, identical to my King Ranch Casserole recipe, to make to new mothers, or for anybody in want of a dinner.
- Taste! This selfmade mac and cheese is filled with hen, peppers, diced tomatoes, two sorts of melty cheese, and extra. It’s a recipe that may shock you at how straightforward it’s and the way delcious!
What’s King Ranch Hen?
King Ranch hen is a Texas-inspired recipe that’s cooked within the type of a casserole. It’s made up of cooked hen, tortillas, gooey cheese, creamy gravy, peppers, and so forth. Nevertheless, whereas I like casserole, why not take factor and make it even higher by combining it with mac and cheese? So, that’s what we’re gonna do.
Recipe Elements
This King Ranch mac and cheese recipe has a few extra substances than your typical mac and cheese does:
- Pasta: I used cavatappi, however you’ll be able to substitute with one other pasta (one thing like rigatoni or elbow macaroni).
- Butter: Salted or unsalted – whichever you like.
- Onion: You’ll want 1 medium yellow onion, diced.
- Pepper: I used a medium inexperienced bell pepper and a medium purple bell pepper (each seeded and diced).
- Garlic: Minced.
- Diced Tomatoes: With inexperienced chilis, 1 (10- ounce) can.
- Ready Cheese: Cubed – one thing like Velveeta.
- Bitter Cream: So as to add additional creaminess.
- Half and Half: A combination of milk and cream may work too if you happen to don’t have any half and half.
- Seasoning: I used cumin and cayenne pepper.
- Cooked Hen: I like to make use of shredded Rotisserie Hen.
- Cheese: Grated cheddar cheese is greatest.
Find out how to Make King Ranch Mac and Cheese with Hen
Mac and cheese is one in every of my favourite weeknight dinners to make. Can one ever get sufficient tacky pasta? (The proper reply: Nope!) There are primarily six components to creating this meal:
Preheat Oven to 400°F: Then boil the pasta in line with the package deal instructions and drain.
Sauté the Onion & Bell Peppers: Whereas the pasta is boiling, warmth a big skillet over medium warmth. Soften the butter within the skillet and sauté the onion and each bell peppers for 7- 8 minutes, till they’re smooth. Add within the garlic and prepare dinner for yet another minute.
Mix with Tomatoes & Cheese: Add the diced tomatoes and prepare dinner till nearly the entire liquid has evaporated, 3- 4 minutes. Subsequent incorporate the cubed cheese into the combo and stir repeatedly till the cheese is melted.
Add Dairy & Hen: Combine the bitter cream and half and half into the cheese combination, season with cumin and cayenne pepper and eventually add within the hen.
Mix Pasta & Hen Combination: In a 3- quart Dutch oven or baking dish mix the hen/cheese combination with the cooked pasta evenly.
TIP: In case your skillet that you just began with is massive sufficient and oven secure, no have to switch the combination into a bigger pan.
Add Grated Cheese & Bake: Sprinkle with the grated cheese and bake for 5- 10 minutes till the cheese is melted and the combination is bubbly. Serve instantly.
What Sort of Cheese to Use
You’ll want two completely different sorts of cheese to make this mac and cheese. For the pasteurized ready cheese I normally use Velveeta, however you may attempt Kraft as an alternative. As for the grated cheese that you just sprinkle on prime, I typically persist with cheddar, however Monterey Jack may additionally work.
Variation Concepts
Are there different additions that may be made to this mac and cheese? In fact! Listed here are a couple of concepts:
- Prime with Breadcrumbs: Or crushed tortilla chips – one thing that may add additional crunch to every chew.
- Alter the Warmth: In the event you like your mac and cheese on the spicier facet you may add in slightly chili powder.
- Different Add-Ins: Extra peppers (like jalapeños) may very well be good, or you may toss in bacon bits, as a result of they make all the pieces higher!
Serving Strategies
In the event you’re attempting to consider issues to serve with King Ranch mac and cheese, listed here are a few my go-to choices:
- Salad: A giant inexperienced salad all the time goes properly with this meal. I additionally love this Rainbow Crunch Salad with this recipe, the crunchiness contrasts splendidly with the creamy pasta.
- Greens: Sautéed mushrooms, broccoli, inexperienced beans, and so forth. Whichever veggies are your favourite! I like this easy air fryer asparagus as a result of it’s prepared in minutes.
- Garlic Bread: In the event you don’t thoughts a couple of additional carbs, these Garlic Knots are an excellent facet to include into this dinner! This tacky stuffed garlic bread can also be unimaginable with King Ranch mac & cheese.
Find out how to Retailer and Reheat King Ranch Mac and Cheese
You may retailer this mac and cheese in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
If you need to reheat the leftovers I like to recommend placing them again within the oven – uncovered – for 20 or so minutes till the specified temperature is reached.
Can I Freeze Leftover Mac and Cheese with Hen?
Positively! You may freeze leftovers in an hermetic container for 1-2 months. Bear in mind to let the container thaw within the fridge in a single day earlier than consuming the pasta once more.
Description
Uninterested in your common mac and cheese recipe? Then flip up the warmth slightly and do that King Ranch Mac and Cheese, filled with Rotisserie hen, grated cheddar cheese, bell peppers, creamy pasta, and extra!
- 8 ounces cavatappi pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 medium inexperienced bell pepper. seeded and diced
- 1/2 medium purple bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (10- ounce) can diced tomatoes with inexperienced chilis
- 1 pound pasteurized ready cheese, cubed (like Velveeta)
- 1/2 cup bitter cream
- 2/3 cup half and half
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 cups cooked hen (I like to make use of shredded Rotisserie Hen)
- 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Boil the pasta in line with the package deal instructions and drain.
- Whereas the pasta is boiling warmth a big skillet over medium warmth. Soften the butter within the skillet and sauté the onion and each bell peppers for 7- 8 minutes, till they’re smooth. Add within the garlic and prepare dinner for yet another minute.
- Add the diced tomatoes and prepare dinner till nearly the entire liquid has evaporated, 3- 4 minutes. Subsequent incorporate the cubed cheese into the combo and stir repeatedly till the cheese is melted.
- Combine the bitter cream and half and half into the cheese combination, season with cumin and cayenne pepper and eventually add within the hen.
- In a 3- quart Dutch oven or baking dish mix the hen/cheese combination with the cooked pasta evenly.
- Sprinkle with the grated cheese and bake for 5- 10 minutes till the cheese is melted and the combination is bubbly.
- Serve instantly.
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