This is the recipe from Serious Eats! I made the Bon Appetit one last summer.
The post is finally here! The post many of you Tweeps and Instagrammers have been waiting for! Buffalo Chicken mac-n-cheese recipe! I’ve tried two different recipes, I’ll post both here. The first one is from Serious Eats and is significantly easier to make. The Bon Appetit recipe is quite extensive in the preparation of both macaroni and chicken. Tons of spices and steps to prep the chicken but it is worth it if you have the time and energy.
Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese (courtesy of Serious Eats)
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons cornstarch (did not use)
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
2 eggs
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
6 ounces block American cheese, roughly grated or diced
6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, roughly grated or diced
1/4 cup Frank’s hot sauce (I used an entire bottle of Frank’s-closer to 1 cup)
1 to 2 cups shredded cooked chicken meat (I bought pre-cooked chicken slices from Trader Joe’s)
1/2 cup sliced scallion greens
Directions:
Combine cornstarch, evaporated milk, and eggs in a medium bowl and whisk until homogenous. Set aside.
Cook pasta in a large stock pot in salted water according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water. Return to stock pot and add cooking water, evaporated milk mixture, cheeses, and hot sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted and sauce is creamy and smooth. Stir in chicken and scallions, reserving some scallions for garnish. Transfer to serving bowl, top with blue cheese and scallions, and serve immediately.
[Obviously salt and pepper to taste.]
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Bon Appetit‘s Mac and Cheese with Buffalo Chicken
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 cups whole milk
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
4 cups cornflakes, ground to crumbs in processor
1 pound chicken cutlets, cut crosswise into 1-inch-wide strips
2 cups chopped green onions (about 8 large)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, divided
3 cups chopped onions
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1 pound extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 4 cups packed)
8 ounces provolone cheese, coarsely grated (about 2 cups packed)
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Whisk first 6 ingredients in deep medium bowl to blend. Place milk in second bowl, eggs in third bowl, and ground cornflakes in fourth bowl. Working with 4 chicken strips at a time, place in flour mixture and toss to coat. Dip same chicken strips into milk, then eggs, then cornflake crumbs, coating with each; arrange on sheet of foil.
Melt 6 tablespoons butter in same large pot over medium heat. Add 3 cups chopped onions and garlic. Cover; sauté until onions are soft but not brown, stirring often, about 6 minutes. Add flour; stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer sauce 2 minutes. Add all cheeses, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Whisk until cheeses melt and sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Season to taste with more salt and pepper, if desired. Mix cheese sauce into macaroni. Mix in chicken pieces. Mound mixture in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. DO AHEAD Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir hot pepper sauce and remaining 2 tablespoons butter in small saucepan over medium heat until butter melts; spoon 4 tablespoons over macaroni in dish. Bake macaroni uncovered until heated through, about 30 minutes, or 45 minutes if made ahead. Serve, passing remaining butter and hot-sauce mixture separately.
Enjoy!
