Chipotle Chicken Mac and Cheese With Bacon Bread Crumbs #RSC

Name: Chipotle Chicken Mac and Cheese With Bacon Bread Crumbs #RSC
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 8-10 serving(s)
Ingredients: 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces; 4 chipotle peppers, minced with; 29.58 ml adobo seasoning, plus; 29.58 ml adobo seasoning, for sauce (add more peppers and adobo if desired for more heat); 85.04 g butter; 1 onion, minced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 85.04 g all-purpose flour; 226.79 g chicken stock; 453.59 g half-and-half; 226.79 g Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Dressing; 255.14 g cheddar cheese, shredded (kerrygold dubbliner); 453.59 g macaroni, cooked; kosher salt; 3 slice thick cut bacon; 118.29 ml breadcrumbs; 59.14 ml chives, chopped; 59.14 ml parsley, chopped

Community Pick

Submitted by hmisafiris

"Ready, Set, Cook! Hidden Valley Contest Entry. It has a great ranch taste with a kick of spice and smokiness from the chipotle peppers. The bacon bread crumbs add a unique taste and crunch to the whole recipe that makes it wonderfully delicious. It will be an instant favorite for your whole family."

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photo by DianaEatingRichly

Ready In:: 1hr 10mins
Ingredients:: 18
Serves:: 8

ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
4 chipotle peppers, minced with
29.58 ml adobo seasoning, plus
29.58 ml adobo seasoning, for sauce (add more peppers and adobo if desired for more heat)
85.04 g butter
1 onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
85.04 g all-purpose flour
226.79 g chicken stock
453.59 g half-and-half
226.79 g Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Dressing
255.14 g cheddar cheese, shredded (kerrygold dubbliner)
453.59 g macaroni, cooked
kosher salt
3 slice thick cut bacon
118.29 ml breadcrumbs
59.14 ml chives, chopped
59.14 ml parsley, chopped

directions

Preheat oven 350.
Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sweat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sweat for 1 minute or until the onions are translucent. Using a wooden spoon stir in the flour until fully incorporated. Slowly add the chicken stock, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to almost low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the mixture is simmering heat a sauté pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until it is almost smoking. Add chicken, season with salt and cook until browned on all sides and cooked through. Add chipotle peppers with 2 tbsp adobo and toss to coat. Toss the chicken with the cooked macaroni and put in a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.
To finish the cheese sauce bring half and half to a gentle simmer and slowly mix in to roux. Add the ranch, cheddar, and 2 tbsp adobo and mix to combine. Season with salt to taste. Add cheese sauce to the baking dish and mix to combine with macaroni and chicken. Sprinkle with bacon bread crumbs and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. (If desired after baking use the broiler to achieve a more brown and crisp top).
For bacon bread crumbs cook bacon till crispy, allow to cool, and then finely mince. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and toss to mix. Bacon bread crumbs can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

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Reviews

Bacon seems ubiquitous these days, but GOOD bacon dishes are not. We tried this recipe last night, as we were in dire need of a comfort food dish, and we were blown away by its ease of preparation, its hearty fullness and its remarkably toothsome and great taste. This dish rocks and we'll definitely make it again!

TREVOR.T.
Very good! I loved the ranch dressing in this, and I usually hate the stuff. It works well in this dish though, as it adds a nice mellow background flavor. I left out the chicken completely, as I already had a roast to serve the mac & cheese with. The bacon and adobo were inspired additions, and I don't think I'll be able to make mac & cheese any other way now that I've discovered this recipe. Just perfect, really- thanks for sharing!

rpgaymer
Yum! I love everything about this dish.

27rena00
I live alone, so a recipe for 10 is a hard starting point! But I liked the sound of it, so I scaled it down as best I could. It's quite a lot of work if you make your own Ranch and Adobo, but I like the cooking, so for me that is a bonus rather than a downer. I like my food a bit hot, but I think I overdid it with the chipotle. I used a (small) whole dried chipotle and I think that was bit ambitious. Even so, the end result was excellent and I shall do it again, being a bit more circumspect with the smokiness. I'm in the UK and I'd never heard of Adobo, and never seen Ranch (though, TBH, I've never looked for either, either - they are probably available somewhere, but they are not common), so I made my own: Ranch - https://barefeetinthekitchen.com/homemade-ranch-salad-dressing/ Adobo - http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/adobo-seasoning-442098 Very pleased with both. As I say, I shall try this again. I just wish there were more recipes for one rather than an extended family! 10/10 for recipe, 7/10 for my execution of it.

steve
So SO good! I used leftover turkey in it. It is pretty spicy since I left the seeds in the peppers. Fortunately my toddler and preschooler love spicy, they just exclaim "HOT!" after every bite!

DianaEatingRichly

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Tweaks

This recipe was a hit!!! Everyone loved it!! I substituted the bread crumbs with sweet chipotle panko bread crumbs by Private Selections and used boneless skinless chicken thighs for juicer meat. Would definitely recommend this recipe.

s_tezak2