Mac and Cheddar Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Show: 30 Minute MealsEpisode: What's Warm, Cozy and Fast? Dinner!

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (314)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(314)

Cook Time:
25 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
Yield: 6 servings

Times:

Prep: 10 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 25 min
Total:: 35 min

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 pound chicken breast tenders, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1 pound macaroni elbows or cavatapi corkscrew shaped pasta twists
2 1/2 cups raw broccoli florets, available packaged in produce department
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cups whole milk
1 cup chicken stock
3 cups yellow sharp Cheddar
1 tablespoon prepared Dijon mustard

Directions

Place a pot of water on to boil for macaroni.

Heat a medium pan over medium to medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and chicken and season with salt and pepper. Saute a couple of minutes then add onion and cook another 5 to 7 minutes until onions are tender and chicken is cooked through. Turn off heat and reserve.

To boiling pasta water, add pasta and salt to season the cooking water. Cook 5 minutes, then add broccoli and cook 3 minutes more or until pasta is cooked to al dente and florets are just tender.

While pasta cooks, heat a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add butter and melt, then add flour, cayenne and paprika and whisk together over heat until roux bubbles then cook a minute more. Whisk in milk and stock and raise heat a little to bring sauce to a quick boil. Simmer sauce to thicken about 5 minutes.

Drain macaroni or pasta and broccoli florets. Add back to pot and add chicken to the pasta and broccoli.

Add cheese to milk sauce and stir to melt it in, about a minute or so. Stir in mustard and season sauce with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and broccoli and cooked pasta and stir to combine. Adjust seasonings, transfer to a large serving platter and serve.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Mac and Cheddar Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli
Misty Plant City, FL 01-26-2010
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Not Bad after few adjustments.
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

The first time I made this recipe, I did so exactly the way the recipe says. The cheese sauce was way to runny and spicy... (for my families taste). But everyone said it had a decent taste. I made it again last night, but I tweeked it just a little. The recipe calls for 3 cups milk and 1 cup chicken stock, I only used 3 cups milk, and left out the stock, I think the 4th. cup of liquid made it to runny. I left out the pepper, and added more salt, and the recipe was perfect. Moral of the story is, 4 cups liquid makes it was to runny. But very yummy dinner.Read more
recipe Mac and Cheddar Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli
Macie Kingwood, TX 12-28-2009
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Fantastic!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This dish was so easy and quick to make. I'm 17 and decided to make dinner for the family and I did it and everyone loved it ... sooo much they went for seconds. I added a few things to it to kind of make it my own but it was marvelous! THANKS! :)Read more
recipe Mac and Cheddar Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli
Sharon New Haven, CT 12-28-2009
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Great if you make adjustments
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

This dish was pretty easy to make but it needed adjustments. For starters the cheese sauce was too spicy. I recommend half... the cayenne pepper that she suggests. Also you might want to add more cheese to the sauce as it wasn't very cheesy. Also I found the sauce to be grainy and i think a different chees might work better. Overall it's not bad but it could be better.Read more
recipe Mac and Cheddar Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli
Carrie Christopher, IL 12-28-2009
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Wonderful & Easy!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Thanks Rachel! This is very good, I just made it. It's a tad bit spicy.. I may have used too much pepper, or mustard.. but... anyway, it's excellent. Creamy, Mmmmmm ! Very good.Read more
recipe Mac and Cheddar Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli
Gina Kansas City, MO 12-26-2009
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Okay Mac and Cheese
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

I followed the recipe exactly and it was very soupy. I added 1 can of cream of mushroom soup to thicken it. It made iti... alot creamier and less soupy. Not bad after adding the soup, but overall disapointed.Read more
recipe Mac and Cheddar Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli
katie framingham, MA 12-19-2009
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Easy to make low-fat version
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I used skim milk, no butter, and reduced fat cheddar cheese. Also, I used more chicken and broccoli, less pasta. And I added... mushrooms. Very delicious and easy to make! Also, as a heads up - this makes A LOT, I only made half and it was still enough food for 4 people. Read more