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Take your comfort food game to the next level with this BBQ Pulled Chicken Mac and Cheese. Savory, cheesy, and delicious!
BBQ PULLED CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE
When I was in college, one of my favorite late-night snacks was macaroni and cheese. One random night, a friend of mine suggested that I put barbecue sauce on the mac and cheese as a way of adding more flavor to it. I quickly squeezed some BBQ sauce on my Easy Mac. It’s worth mentioning that two of my favorite foods are Mac & Cheese and pretty much any type of southern barbecue. My friend was on to something. Fast forward a couple of decades and I am still putting BBQ sauce on my macaroni and cheese, but now, with my sophisticated tastebuds, I have added shredded chicken. Need to get my protein somehow! A pot of BBQ Pulled Chicken Mac & Cheese is a great addition to a tailgate spread, or to snack on during cold, snowy days. It’s cheesy, slightly tangy, and very filling!
RELATED: Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese
WHAT IS BBQ PULLED CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE?
This recipe is a combo of three delicious parts: macaroni and cheese, shredded chicken, and barbecue sauce. It’s rich, hearty, and cheesy!
WHAT DOES THIS MAC & CHEESE TASTE LIKE?
If I were limited to two words to describe this mac and cheese recipe, they would be rich, and tangy (slightly). This hearty meal is very cheesy, but the barbecue sauce adds a little bit of tangy flavor that goes well with the cheese. If you have had the Mac & Cheese Topped Pulled Pork Sliders you might notice some similarities.
BBQ PULLED CHICKEN MAC & CHEESE INGREDIENTS
- 1 16 oz. box macaroni – cooked
- Cream cheese, cubed and softened – 8 ounces
- Chicken broth – 1 1/4 cup
- Garlic powder – 1 teaspoon
- Onion powder – 1 1/8 teaspoon
- Ground black pepper – 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt – 3/4 teaspoon
- Shredded mozzarella cheese – 1 cup
- Shredded white cheddar cheese – 1 cup
- BBQ sauce – 3/4 cup
HOW TO MAKE THIS BBQ PULLED CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE
This recipe keeps it simple. You might get a workout stirring the ingredients together, but the reward is some delicious mac and cheese!
- Cook and drain macaroni noodles
- In a separate large pot, combine chicken broth and cream cheese, and bring to a boil. Stir consistently until cream cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth
- Reduce to low heat and combine garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, stir.
- Add mozzarella and white cheddar cheese and stir until melted
- Add BBQ sauce and shredded chicken and stir until well combined.
- Add cooked macaroni and stir well until completely mixed.
- Serve Hot
CAN YOU MAKE BBQ CHICKEN MAC & CHEESE AHEAD OF TIME?
You can make this recipe earlier in the day, or the day before and refrigerate it. I have even stored the leftovers in the refrigerator and just put the lid back on the pot to keep everything fresh. You can easily reheat it in the microwave later in the week.
CAN YOU FREEZE SHREDDED CHICKEN MAC & CHEESE?
You can freeze this mac and cheese recipe. Just make sure you seal it in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH BBQ PULLED CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE?
I consider this mac and cheese recipe to be the main dish and one that doesn’t require any sides. If you are looking for savory, filling recipes, then make sure you check these out:
WHAT KITCHEN TOOLS DO I NEED TO MAKE BBQ CHICKEN MAC & CHEESE?
1. A large pot
4. Large spoon, or wooden spoon for stirring ingredients.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz. box macaroni noodles cooked and drained
- 8 oz cream cheese softened and cubed
- 1 rotisserie roasted chicken shredded
- 1¼ cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1⅛ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ¾ tsp coarse salt
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
- ¾ cup barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Cook and drain macaroni noodles according to the instructions on the package.
- In a separate large pot, combine chicken broth and cream cheese, and bring to a boil. Stir consistently until cream cheese has melted and sauce is smooth.
- Reduce to low heat and combine garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, stir.
- Add mozzarella and white cheddar cheese and stir until melted.
- Add barbecue sauce and shredded chicken and stir until well combined.
- Add cooked macaroni and stir well until completely mixed.
- Serve hot!
