Are you prepared to alter up your basic mac and cheese recipe? In that case, this creamy King Ranch Mac and Cheese recipe with rooster is the right manner to try this!
Why You’ll Love My Simple King Ranch Mac and Cheese with Hen
The Excellent Tex-Mex Mac and Cheese! When you’re a fan of Tex-Mex recipes, you will LOVE this macaroni and cheese. Impressed by King Ranch rooster casserole, King Ranch Mac and Cheese with rooster 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 fashionable dish, identical to my King Ranch Casserole recipe, to make to new mothers, or for anybody in want of a dinner.
Taste! This home made mac and cheese is full of rooster, peppers, diced tomatoes, two sorts of melty cheese, and extra. It’s a recipe that can shock you at how simple it’s and the way delcious!
What’s King Ranch Hen?
King Ranch rooster is a Texas-inspired recipe that’s cooked within the type of a casserole. It’s made up of cooked rooster, tortillas, gooey cheese, creamy gravy, peppers, and so on. Nonetheless, whereas I really 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 Components
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 possibly can 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 further creaminess.
Half and Half: A combination of milk and cream might work too in case you 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.
Methods 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 basically six components to creating this meal:
Add diced onion and diced bell peppers to a big skillet and cook dinner in melted butter till they’re gentle.Prepare dinner the pepper and onions till they’re gentle after which add in some garlic.
Preheat Oven to 400°F: Then boil the pasta in line with the bundle 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 gentle. Add within the garlic and cook dinner for another minute.
Add diced tomatoes into the peppers and onions and cook dinner till they liquid has evaporated. Subsequent soften within the cubed cheese.
Mix with Tomatoes & Cheese: Add the diced tomatoes and cook dinner till virtually the entire liquid has evaporated, 3- 4 minutes. Subsequent incorporate the cubed cheese into the combination and stir constantly till the cheese is melted.
This tacky combination is the bottom of your sauce.Add in bitter cream, half and half, and seasonings into the cheese sauce. Then add in cooked rooster.
Add Dairy & Hen: Combine the bitter cream and half and half into the cheese combination, season with cumin and cayenne pepper and at last add within the rooster.
Stir it till it’s all mixed. Add within the cooked pasta and high with grated cheese and bake!
Mix Pasta & Hen Combination: In a 3- quart Dutch oven or baking dish mix the rooster/cheese combination with the cooked pasta evenly.
TIP: In case your skillet that you simply began with is massive sufficient and oven secure, no must 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 often use Velveeta, however you might strive Kraft as a substitute. As for the grated cheese that you simply sprinkle on high, I typically stick with cheddar, however Monterey Jack might additionally work.
Variation Concepts
Are there different additions that may be made to this mac and cheese? After all! Listed here are just a few concepts:
Prime with Breadcrumbs: Or crushed tortilla chips – one thing that can add further crunch to every chew.
Modify the Warmth: When you like your mac and cheese on the spicier aspect you might add in slightly chili powder.
Different Add-Ins: Extra peppers (like jalapeños) could possibly be good, or you might toss in bacon bits, as a result of they make every part higher!
Serving Options
When you’re making an attempt to think about issues to serve with King Ranch mac and cheese, listed here are a few my go-to choices:
Salad: An enormous inexperienced salad all the time goes nicely 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 on. Whichever veggies are your favourite! I like this easy air fryer asparagus as a result of it’s prepared in minutes.
Garlic Bread: When you don’t thoughts just a few further carbs, these Garlic Knots are an amazing aspect to include into this dinner! This cheesy stuffed garlic bread can be unbelievable with King Ranch mac & cheese.
Methods to Retailer and Reheat King Ranch Mac and Cheese
You possibly can retailer this mac and cheese in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
While 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 possibly can 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.
Uninterested in your common mac and cheese recipe? Then flip up the warmth slightly and do this King Ranch Mac and Cheese, full of Rotisserie rooster, 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
4 cups cooked rooster (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 bundle 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 gentle. Add within the garlic and cook dinner for another minute.
Add the diced tomatoes and cook dinner till virtually the entire liquid has evaporated, 3- 4 minutes. Subsequent incorporate the cubed cheese into the combination and stir constantly till the cheese is melted.
Combine the bitter cream and half and half into the cheese combination, season with cumin and cayenne pepper and at last add within the rooster.
In a 3- quart Dutch oven or baking dish mix the rooster/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.
