High Protein Chipotle Chicken Mac and Cheese
A creamy, high-protein macaroni and cheese with a spicy chipotle kick, topped with crispy, saucy chicken bites. This recipe is designed for meal prepping, providing four satisfying and muscle-building servings.
Ingredients
- chicken breast
- egg
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- smoked paprika
- cayenne pepper
- Salt
- plain flour
- cornflour
- low-calorie chipotle sauce
- Cooking spray
- 0% fat milk
- pasta water
- light cream cheese
- chipotle paste
- lemon
- honey
- parmesan
- garlic powder
- salt
- dry macaroni
- reduced-fat
- low-fat
- parsley
Method
- 1
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a generous amount of salt.
- 2
Add the dry macaroni and cook until al dente, according to package directions.
- 3
Before draining, reserve about 100ml of the starchy pasta water.
- 4
Drain the macaroni and set aside.
- 5
In a blender, combine the 0% fat milk, reserved pasta water, light cream cheese, chipotle paste, lemon juice, honey, grated parmesan, garlic powder, and salt.
- 6
Blend until the mixture is completely smooth.
- 7
Pour the sauce into a large pan and heat over low-medium heat.
- 8
Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens (about 2-3 minutes).
- 9
Add the cooked macaroni to the pan with the thickened cheese sauce.
- 10
Sprinkle in the low-fat cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
- 11
Stir everything together until the cheese is melted and the macaroni is well-coated in a creamy, cheesy sauce. Set aside.
- 12
Dice the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces.
- 13
In a bowl, season the diced chicken with garlic powder, onion powder (from description), smoked paprika, cayenne (from description), and salt.
- 14
Crack one egg over the seasoned chicken and mix thoroughly until all pieces are evenly coated.
- 15
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the plain flour and cornflour.
- 16
Add the egg-coated chicken pieces to the flour mixture.
- 17
Toss the chicken until every piece is fully and evenly coated in the dry mixture.
- 18
Arrange the coated chicken pieces in a single layer on a wire rack.
- 19
Lightly spray the chicken with cooking spray.
- 20
Air Fryer Method: Cook at 200°C (400°F) for 10-12 minutes.
- 21
Oven Method: Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 15-18 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- 22
Once cooked and crispy, transfer the chicken bites to a large bowl.
- 23
Pour the low-calorie chipotle sauce over the chicken.
- 24
Toss the chicken until all pieces are coated in the sauce.
- 25
The dish makes 4 servings. To meal prep, divide the mac and cheese evenly among four containers.
- 26
Top each portion of mac and cheese with the saucy chipotle chicken bites.
- 27
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
- 28
To enjoy, microwave a serving partially uncovered for 3-4 minutes until heated through.
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