12ozshredded rotisserie chickenwhite and dark meat
1lbmacaroni
½tbspbutter
Instructions
Make the bechamel. To a large deep-sided skillet/saute pan over medium low heat, add 3 tbsp of butter. Once the butter melts, add the garlic and grated onion and cook for a minute, then add the flour and whisk to create a thin paste. This is called a roux, and it’s what will thicken our sauce. Cook for a couple minutes, whisking frequently to get that raw flour taste out. Dissolve the collagen into the evaporated milk, then increase the heat to medium and slowly whisk into the roux. Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture has thickened. To test, dip a spoon into the sauce and run your finger down the center. If the sauce doesn’t seep into your finger swipe, you’re good to go.
Start bringing a large pot of water to a boil, and preheat your oven to 350°F.
Turn it into cheese sauce. Turn the heat off on your sauce, then add the buffalo sauce, dijon, goat cheese, ¾ of the cheddar, and ½ the pepper jack and mozzarella. Stir into the sauce to melt. At this point, you can turn the heat back onto low to finish melting the cheese if needed, just don’t let the mixture come to a simmer or the sauce could split. Taste and add salt to taste.
Add the pasta and chicken. Cook the macaroni in well salted water (one or two handfuls) for half the total cook time on the package, then reserve 1-2 cups of salty, starchy pasta water and strain. Add the chicken to the sauce and stir it in, then add the half-cooked macaroni and a big splash of pasta water and stir again. You want the sauce to be a little more liquidy than you like at this point, so add enough pasta water till you get to that point.
Assemble and bake. Grease a large 13” oven-safe baking dish with the remaining butter, then add half your prepared mac and cheese and spread evenly. Toss the remaining cheeses together, then sprinkle half into the baking dish, top with the remaining mac and cheese, again spreading evenly from edge to edge, and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until just starting to bubble slightly, then broil for 2-3 minutes to brown the top and remove.
Cool and enjoy! Let the mac rest for 5-10 minutes, then dig in!
Notes
Blending the collagen into the evaporated milk makes it easier to incorporate!
Nutrition calculated using Frank’s Wing sauce, 8 ounces of skinless chicken breast and 4 oz of skinless chicken thigh (since a rotisserie chicken is ⅔ white meat and ⅓ dark).
For extra protein, fiber, and B vitamins, add some nutritional yeast to the sauce!
I'm a big eater, a huge fan of pasta (and mac n cheese), and I'm on a mission to prove that indulgence and balance can exist well together without silly restrictions or dieting. Life's too short to eat bad food!
