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Tuscan Chicken Mac and Cheese

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 395kcal
Author: Lauren
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!
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Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces
  • 12- oz. large elbow macaroni
  • 8- oz. sun dried tomatoes in oil drained & chopped
  • 1 Tbsp of olive oil (15g) divided
  • 8- oz. baby bella mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced (75g)
  • 1 Tbsp butter (15g)
  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (15g) or gluten-free flour
  • 1.75 cups plain unsweetened almond milk (420g)
  • 1 cup chicken broth (240g)
  • 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp salt + 1/4 tsp pepper more to taste
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar (112g)
  • 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese (84)
  • 4 cups baby spinach

Instructions

  • Cook pasta: Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Sprinkle generously with salt. Add the pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes (or according to package instructions so that the pasta is al dente). When done, rinse the pasta with cool water and drain, then set aside.
  • 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.
  • Cook the chicken: Heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. When warm, add the chicken and 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.
  • Prepare the cheese sauce: Wipe the skillet clean and melt the 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 heat to medium-high 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.
  • 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, chicken, mushrooms and onions and mix until everything is well combined. Sprinkle with freshly cracked black pepper to serve!

Notes

To make gluten-free: use gluten-free pasta and gluten-free flour
To make dairy-free: use dairy-free butter, dairy-free milk (unsweetened plain almond, cashew, soy, etc) and dairy-free cheese 
Helpful Tips
  • 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 into even size bites - this ensures the chicken cooks evenly without having any pieces of overcooked or undercooked.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5 cups (278g) | Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 37.6g | Protein: 27.4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g