Chicken Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Broccoli – creamy one-pot Mac and Cheese loaded with seasoned chicken, crispy bacon, and tender broccoli.
Chicken Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Broccoli
A flavor packed one pot meal that makes this creamy mac and cheese a complete dinner. Start by cooking crispy bacon, then use the bacon fat to brown the chicken and sauté the garlic for extra flavor. The pasta and chicken then simmers in chicken broth. Finish by stirring in evaporated milk and freshly grated cheese for an ultra creamy homemade Mac and cheese topped with diced chicken and crispy bacon. No need to heat up the oven, this recipe is made completely on the stovetop. For more one-pot favorites check out Cajun Chicken Alfredo, Marry Me Chicken Pasta, and Cheesy Chicken, Rice, and Broccoli.
Ingredients for Chicken Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Broccoli
- Olive Oil – Starting the bacon in a small amount of olive oil helps it fry up more evenly. Melted butter can be used as a substitute.
- Bacon – Use the bacon rendering to brown the chicken and add the crispy bacon to the Mac and Cheese.
- Chicken – Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, chicken thighs can be substituted if preferred.
- Seasonings – Kosher Salt, Freshly Ground Black Pepper, and Paprika.
- Garlic – Freshly minced for best flavor. One teaspoon of garlic powder can be substituted.
- Pasta – 12 oz by weight not by volume of elbow macaroni or any bite-sized pasta. Note this is 3/4 a pound of dried pasta.
- Chicken Broth – One quart (4 cups) of low-sodium chicken broth. You can also use water and powdered chicken bullion prepared according to package instructions.
- Evaporated Milk – One 12 oz can of evaporated milk. Evaporated milk is richer than regular milk but not as heavy as cream and perfect for making a stovetop mac and cheese.
- Cheese – Sharp cheddar cheese is the classic choice for mac and cheese and adds a great depth of flavor. Freshly shredded will melt the most smoothly.
- Broccoli – Broccoli cut into bite sized florets. The broccoli is steamed on top of the pasta and chicken while cooking. Larger pieces of broccoli will take longer to cook.
How to Make This Chicken Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Cook the Bacon: In a large skillet, add chopped bacon and cook until crisp and evenly browned. Reserve two tablespoons of bacon fat.
- Brown the Chicken: Season chicken breasts on both sides and pat dry. Brown chicken breasts in bacon fat over medium-high heat on both sides.
- Sauté Garlic and Deglaze the Pan: Sauté garlic in remaining bacon fat (add more bacon fat or olive oil if the pan is dry), then add chicken broth to the pan and increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze.
- Cook the Pasta and Chicken: Once the broth is simmering, stir in uncooked pasta and top with chicken breasts. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 8 minutes.
- Add Broccoli and Finish Cooking: After 8 minutes, remove the lid and add broccoli florets to the top. Cover again and continue cooking for another 12 minutes or until pasta and broccoli are tender.
- Make the Cheese Sauce: Remove chicken breasts and stir in evaporated milk followed by shredded cheese. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Dice chicken breasts and add them back with cooked bacon to the mac and cheese and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Starting the bacon in a small amount of olive oil helps it cook more evenly.
- The recipe calls for 1/2 a pound of bacon, but the amount can be increased or decreased depending on preference.
- Be sure to remove the excess bacon fat, leaving just two tablespoons in the pan to brown the chicken and sauté the garlic.
- Note that the recipe does not use a full pound of pasta. It’s 12 oz by weight, or 3/4 of a pound of pasta.
- Instead of using the traditional method of combining butter, flour, and milk to make a roux, this recipe uses evaporated milk to build the cheese sauce.
- I haven’t tested the recipe with gluten-free pasta. Results will vary depending on the brand used.
More Mac and Cheese Recipes You’ll Love
Chicken Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Broccoli
Creamy one-pot Mac and Cheese loaded with seasoned chicken, crispy bacon, and tender broccoli.
Servings: 6
Calories: 792kcal
Equipment
- 3 qt Covered Sauté Pan or Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 pound bacon diced
- 1 pound chicken breasts 2 small breasts to 1 large breast cut in half lengthwise
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 12 oz elbow pasta uncooked (3/4 of a pound)
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (1 quart)
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 10 oz sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded (about 3 cups)
- 12 oz broccoli florets cut into 1 inch florets
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a 3 quart skillet. Add chopped bacon and cook until crisp and evenly browned. Remove bacon using a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Pour off all but two tablespoons of the bacon fat from pan.
- Season chicken breasts on both sides and pat dry. Brown chicken breasts in bacon fat over medium high heat on both sides. Chicken will not be cooked through at this point. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
- Reduce heat and add garlic. Sauté garlic in remaining bacon fat, if the pan is a little dry add more bacon fat or olive oil, then add chicken broth to pan and increase heat to high. Scrape bottom of pan to deglaze. Once broth is simmering, stir in uncooked pasta and top with chicken breasts.
- Reduce heat to medium low and cover. Cook for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, remove lid and add broccoli florets to top. Cover again and continue cooking for another 12 minutes or until pasta and broccoli are tender. Remove chicken breasts and stir in evaporated milk followed by shredded cheese. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Dice chicken breasts. Add diced chicken and crispy bacon to mac and cheese and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 792kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 971mg | Potassium: 1017mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1082IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 537mg | Iron: 2mg
5 Easy Dinner Ideas for Busy Weeknights
My five FAVORITE recipes for busy families!
- Quick to make
- Light on your budget
- Easy to clean-up
- and...most important...absolutely DELICIOUS
This is perfect for busy weeknight, it’s a complete meal that everyone loved and it’s so easy to make in one pot! It’s so satisfying and packed with flavor, my family devoured it, and there are no leftovers! I’ll definitely be adding these to our regular dinner rotation!
Super rich and creamy not to mention filling! I love how it has carbs, veggies, and protein all in one easy to make meal.
The Chicken Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Broccoli was fantastic! Such a comforting and hearty meal. The combination of flavors is perfect. My family loved it!
We had this for dinner last night and it was amazing! The kids loved it!
Best mac and cheese ever!!
I love this! My kids are addicted to mac and cheese, but I’m constantly trying to find ways to add protein and fiber to it – this was PERFECT.
The creamy, cheesy goodness, combined with savory chicken, crispy bacon, and fresh broccoli, makes it a delicious and comforting dish that’s sure to become a family favorite.