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A Tuscan chicken mac and cheese dish, complete with a wooden spoon.
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5 from 5 votes

Tuscan Chicken Mac and Cheese

This Tuscan mac and cheese is made with sun dried tomatoes, tuscan seasoning, and cooked chicken. The creamy sauce is out of this world. The family will be obsessed.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Pasta
Cuisine: American
Keyword: tuscan chicken mac and cheese
Servings: 6
Author: Emily Richter

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. cavatappi noodles
  • 1 teaspoon salt separated
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 8.5 oz. Bella Sun Luci Tomatoes with Italian Herbs, Julienne Cut, drained from the olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil from the sun dried tomatoes separated
  • 1 medium white onion minced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 cups packed spinach chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh oregano chopped

Cheese Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups 2% milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh oregano chopped
  • 1/3 cup shredded white sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil from the sun dried tomatoes

Instructions

  • Being by cooking the noodles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 
  • Add the noodles, stir, and follow the direction on the back of the package. Strain the noodles and set aside. 
  • Next, add the salt, pepper, garlic, and red pepper flakes into a bowl and mix. Set aside.
  • Prepare the chicken breast by placing the raw chicken on a cutting board. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the chicken. Pound the chicken with a meat cleaver until the chicken is the same thickness throughout (about 1/2 inch thickness).
  • Sprinkle the chicken with the seasoning in the bowl. Be sure the entire chicken breast is covered with the seasonings. 
  • Next, heat a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add olive oil from the sun dried tomatoes. When the olive oil is fragrant add the chicken to the pan. Sear each side of the chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side or until the chicken reaches the internal temperature of 165ºF. Remove chicken from the pan, let cool, and then cut the chicken into chunks. Set aside. 
  • Keep the olive oil and chicken juices in the skillet. Add onions, garlic, spinach, thyme, and oregano to the juices and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add sun-dried tomatoes, toss and remove from heat. Set aside. 
    Sauteeing ingredients together for Tuscan Chicken Mac and Cheese.
  • Prepare the cheese sauce by heating a large pot over medium/high heat. Add butter. 
    Preparing a roux in a pot.
  • When the butter is melted add flour to the butter and whisk until a crumble or paste forms. 
  • Turn heat to medium and slowly add the milk to the pot, stirring constantly until the milk thickens. When the milk thickens, add the salt, thyme, oregano, cheddar, parmesan, mozzarella, and olive oil to the sauce and stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is thick. 
  • Finally, add the noodles, vegetables, and chicken to the cheese sauce and mix until combined. Heat over medium/high heat until everything is hot. 
    Adding noodles to the cheese sauce.
  • Season with salt and pepper and enjoy! 
    Finished tuscan chicken mac and cheese in a pot.

Video

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id="edqugYdD" upload-date="2023-08-11T00:00:00.000Z" name="Tuscan Chicken Mac and Cheese" description="This Tuscan chicken mac and cheese is one of our most popular and unique mac and cheese recipes. Our favorite flavors are Italian inspired and this Tuscan mac and cheese has it all. Sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and basil, all the best!"]

Nutrition

Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 22g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g