Struggle Meal Chicken Macaroni (Printer-Friendly)

Creamy chicken and elbow macaroni combined with cheddar cheese sauce for a comforting, easy-to-make main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 8 oz elbow macaroni

→ Chicken

02 - 1 can (12.5 oz) chicken breast, drained and flaked

→ Cheese Sauce

03 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
05 - 2 cups milk
06 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
09 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional)

→ Topping (optional)

10 - 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
11 - 1 tbsp melted butter

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
02 - In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute to form a roux.
03 - Gradually whisk in milk. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder if using until smooth.
04 - Add drained chicken to the cheese sauce, breaking up large pieces. Stir to combine and heat through.
05 - Combine cooked macaroni with the chicken cheese sauce in a large bowl or saucepan. Mix thoroughly.
06 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Transfer mixture to a greased 8x8-inch baking dish. Toss breadcrumbs with melted butter and sprinkle evenly on top. Bake for 10–12 minutes until golden and bubbly.
07 - Serve hot immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It costs less than takeout but tastes like you spent actual time on it.
  • Comes together in thirty minutes flat, which means dinner before anyone gets cranky.
  • Uses pantry staples you probably already have, no hunting through specialty shops required.
02 -
  • Don't skip the roux step—it's what prevents your sauce from being thin and watery instead of creamy and coating.
  • Add the milk gradually and keep whisking; rushing this is how lumps happen, and lumpy sauce is nobody's favorite thing.
  • If your sauce breaks or gets grainy, remove it from heat immediately and whisk in a splash of cold milk to smooth it back out.
03 -
  • Cook your pasta just slightly under the package time—it finishes cooking a little when it sits in the warm sauce, and nobody likes mushy macaroni.
  • Use a whisk instead of a spoon for the sauce; it breaks up lumps before they can form and gives you more control.
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