Tuscan Chicken Mac and Cheese (30 Minutes)

This Tuscan Chicken Mac and Cheese is creamy, cheesy and bursting with Mediterranean flavors in each bite! It’s lightened up and packed with protein and works great for an easy dinner or meal prep!

Another mac and cheese recipe! And you know I am here for it! And did I mentioned it’s packed with protein?! It’s super easy to make in just 30 minutes and has over 27g of protein per serving. Plus it’s hella macro-friendly and packed with so much volume!

Since this tuscan macaroni and cheese comes together so quickly it makes an awesome weeknight dinner option. But it also holds up great in the fridge so we love prepping it for easy reheat meals throughout the week.

Lots of ways to switch this one up too so make sure to check out the variations section at the bottom for more ideas. Seriously love how this one turned out! It’s so creamy and packed with the most delicious Tuscan flavors!!!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE

• So much flavor from the sun-dried tomatoes!
• Packed with fresh veggies and protein.
• Made with easy to find and simple ingredients.
• Works great for easy weeknight dinners & for meal prep.
• Lightened up using a little bit less cheese and butter than regular mac – but still the good stuff! 
• Made in just 30 minutes!

INGREDIENTS

• Chicken – I used chicken breasts but chicken thighs would also work here. You could also use rotisserie chicken here and skip the step with cooking the chicken.
• Macaroni noodles – I used large elbow macaroni noodles but any short pasta will work here. Use your favorite pasta and use gluten-free if needed!
• Sun-dried tomatoes – the kind in oil.
• Olive oil – make sure to use light olive oil for sautéing, extra virgin olive oil may work, it’s just more likely to burn. You could also use avocado oil, vegetable oil or canola oil.
• Mushrooms – I used bella mushrooms. If mushrooms aren’t your thing, you can always replace with another vegetable or leave out entirely.
• Onion – I used a yellow onion a white onion onion or shallot would also work!
• Butter – we’ll use a little butter for this recipe just to bring some classic rich flavor to this mac and cheese dish.
• Flour – I used all purpose flour. Use gluten-free flour if needed.
• Milk – I used unsweetened almond milk but any milk works. For a richer taste, use heavy cream or half and half.
• Chicken broth – You could also use chicken stock or vegetable broth.
• Seasonings – Grab some salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning!
• Shredded cheese – I used sharp cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese. PLEASE get the block and FRESHLY shred for the most cheesy sauce. It makes all the difference!
• Spinach – I used baby spinach. You can also replace with arugula or kale or omit completely. Fresh basil would also be delish and would add a ton of flavor!

HOW TO MAKE TUSCAN CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE

1. Cook pasta. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Sprinkle generously with salt. Add the dry pasta to the large pot of salted water and cook for 8-10 minutes (or according to package directions so that the pasta is al dente). When done, rinse the cooked pasta with cool water and drain, then set aside.
2. Cook onions and mushrooms. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook for about 2 minutes then add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 4-5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.  
3. Cook the chicken: Heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over on stove top on medium heat on a cast iron skillet or skillet or choice. When warm, add the chicken and season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink. Transfer to a bowl (with the mushrooms is fine) and set aside. 
4. Prepare the cheese sauce. Wipe the bottom of the pan or skillet clean and melt butter over medium heat. As it starts to melt, whisk in the flour. Then whisk in the milk, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Increase to medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Continue whisking frequently for 4-5 minutes or until mixture becomes thick. Then remove from heat and stir in both cheeses. Taste and add any salt or seasonings to taste. 
5. Making the mac and cheese: Cut sun dried tomatoes into small pieces. To the skillet with the cheese sauce, fold in the sun dried tomatoes, cooked macaroni, spinach leaves, chicken, mushrooms and onions and mix until everything is well combined. 
6. Sprinkle with freshly cracked black pepper and freshly grated parmesan cheese to serve! Throw some freshly chopped herbs on top too if you have them!

HOW TO STORE TUSCAN CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE

Store any leftover mac and cheese in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

VARIATIONS

• Switch up the cheeses: Sharp cheddar and mozzarella are classic for mac and cheese but feel free to swap for different kinds of cheese! Gouda, Gruyere, Muenster and white cheddar cheese would also be AMAZING.
• Switch up the vegetables: Mushrooms not your thing? Feel free to leave out or simply replace with another veggie. Red bell pepper, green beans, asparagus, or any leftover veggies you have on hand.
• Switch up the pasta: Elbow macaroni is my favorite for this dish but really you can use type of short pasta. Shells, penne, bowties, etc. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time as to not over cook the pasta. We want to make sure it is al dente!
• Use different types of chicken: Instead of cooking chicken bites, this recipe would also be delicious with ground chicken, chicken thighs or even chicken sausage. You can always throw in any leftover shredded chicken you have too. Or save a few minutes and use rotisserie chicken instead.
• Switch up the protein: Ground turkey, ground beef, Italian sausage, there really is no wrong answer.
• Make vegetarian: You can leave out the chicken entirely or replace with tofu.
• Make gluten-free: Easily make this dish gluten-free by using your favorite gluten free pasta!

TIPS FOR BEST MAC AND CHEESE

• Use freshly shredded cheese – This is super important! Pre-shredded cheese just does melt quite like freshly shredded cheese does. I used to think it took a lot more time to shred your cheese but it literally takes less than a minute! Don’t skip it!
• Cook your pasta al dente – Only cook pasta until it is al dente then quickly rinse the pasta with cool water and set aside (this stops the cooking process). Overcooking the pasta can result in mushy pasta that doesn’t hold up well. We don’t want that!
• Cut your chicken bites the same – To ensure the chicken cooks evenly without having any pieces of overcooked or undercooked chicken.

MORE PASTA RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

• Healthy Tuscan Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
• Mexican Mac and Cheese
• Easy Healthy Rotini Pasta Bake
• Zucchini Mushroom Beef Pasta

WANT TO MAKE THIS RECIPE?

If you try this Tuscan Chicken Mac and Cheese and love it, please rate this recipe!

You can also tag me on Instagram, @LaurenFitFoodie. It makes my day seeing your yummy recreations!