My Version of Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

A while back, I made Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese from The Food Network Magazine and we just loved the flavor combination! Tonight though, I made my own slightly different version using Crispy Chicken Strips and a topping of Mozzarella and Italian breadcrumbs. It came out just as good, if not better! I guess you can't go wrong with combining 2 of our favorites! Trust me, the left-overs (if there are any) only get better!

Ingredients:


3 crispy chicken strips, cooked and diced
1 c small elbow macaroni
1/2 c hot pepper sauce (Frank's RedHot)
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 c chopped onions
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 c whole milk or half and half
1 c cheddar cheese, shredded
1 c pepper jack cheese, shredded
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 c sour cream
1/2 c mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 c panko breadcrumbs


Prep:


1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a baking dish.


2. Cook macaroni in a pot until al dente. Drain and toss with chicken and hot sauce.


3. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in the same pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Sauté until onions are soft but not brown, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add flour; stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk or half and half. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer sauce 2 minutes.


4. Add cheeses, paprika and mustard. Whisk until cheeses melt and sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Stir in pasta mixture until mixed well.


5. Pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle mozzarella and panko evenly on top. Melt remaining tablespoon of butter and drizzle on top. Bake, uncovered until heated through, about 20 minutes.