From My Cookbook… Dave's Chicken Mac and Cheese Casserole
Who does not love mac and cheese, leftover rotisserie chicken, and a delicious casserole that feeds a crowd and provides leftovers for the week? Yes! This is all those things rolled into one! And you can ditch the box!
There are over 300 recipes in my recently published cookbook, Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us (Click on the link in Note 1 to get your own copy). Even in these inflationary times, we can prepare delicious meals for our family and do so in a way that does not break the budget. And it’s all in the cookbook!
Introduction
As you know from following me, I love comfort food that is simple, wholesome, and feeds a crowd, so I can minimize my cost, effort, and time in the kitchen. All the while reducing food waste. If you want a delicious casserole that checks all the boxes, then this is it.
David Giustozzi’s Chicken Mac and Cheese Casserole
We always seem to have some kind of leftover chicken. I love the rotisserie chicken from Costco, and this is typically our source. Then, of course, I always make a big batch of grilled chicken thighs, so we have them too. Whenever you have some leftover chicken, there is always a good use for it, and this is a great one.
I just love big, tasty one-dish meals that can be cooked on the weekend and provide easy meals during the work week! I especially enjoy ones that are simple, economical, and big enough for your family and still being able to give some away! This dish checks all the boxes! Note: While I like the optional ingredients, they may not be kid friendly, so only add them if you know everyone likes those flavors.
Ingredients
16 oz. good quality elbow macaroni pasta (Note 1)
16 oz, mild or medium cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz. American or Colby Jack cheese, shredded (Note 2)
1 stick butter (8T), plus 4 tablespoons
1-2 lbs. leftover chicken (Note 3)
8 cups water
1 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 3/4 C Panko, 3/4C Italian (Note 4)
½ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk (2% will work)
1 cup half and half
1 teaspoon salt (more to taste if you desire)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (Note 5)
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Nonstick spray
Cayenne pepper, or Tabasco sauce, optional
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder (optional)
1 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
½ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
Directions
Debone the chicken. Tear or shred into bite-sized pieces.
Cook pasta until slightly before al dente but substitute the 8 cups of chicken broth for the water. This will infuse the pasta with delicious broth. Remove from heat until ready to use; pasta will continue to absorb broth and cook some more. The pasta will continue to cook in the oven until perfectly done. Before adding to the sauce, drain and reserve any liquid.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray an 11x15 (4.8qt, 4.5L) Pyrex casserole dish with nonstick spray. Spray a large silicone spatula at the same time.
Meanwhile, in an enameled Dutch oven (preferred; don’t use cast iron) or stock pot, melt the butter stick and stir in the flour to make a roux (Note 6).
Reduce heat to low and add the milk, stirring with a whisk to incorporate. Add the half and half and continue to warm but not boil and allow to thicken somewhat. Add mustard powder, onion and garlic powder, if using. Add the shredded cheese and stir to incorporate to make a cheese sauce.
Add the pasta, salt, pepper, and mustard and allow to just start to warm. Stir well such that the cheese sauce is allowed to get into the holes of the elbow macaroni. This is important to the final product!
Transfer the pasta cheese mixture into the casserole dish, shaking and scraping with the spatula. Note: Place on a cookie sheet to prevent overflowing onto the oven. Depending upon how much chicken you use, you may have too much for one casserole dish. Pour remaining mixture in a small baking dish.
Place in the oven for 30 minutes until warm and cheese is melted. Remove. Increase heat to 350 degrees.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet and add the panko, stirring to incorporate and just browning, about 4 minutes. Remove to a bowl to cool and mix in parmesan cheese. After you have removed the casserole from the oven, sprinkle the panko and parmesan cheese mixture over the top.
Return the casserole dish to the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the Panko is just starting to brown. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes until set.
Divide the mac and cheese among serving bowls. Serve and enjoy. Pass a black pepper grater, cayenne, and Tabasco for diners to use as they like.
I love to have this chicken mac and cheese as a leftover, and it is excellent reheated. See Note 7.
Notes
A couple of notes on the pasta. I hope you know by now that I believe in only using the best quality pasta (like all things, frankly), so let that be your guide. I used Barilla classic elbows #41 which have little ridges on the outside that help hold the sauce, but it is NOT bronze cut. Cook for 6 minutes. Other recipes may call for different pasta, such as rigatoni or fusilli, so if you choose to use a different pasta, be sure to use one that allows the cheese to infuse it and get inside. Also, pasta comes in different-sized packages, such as 12 or 16 oz., and I use pasta that comes in 16 oz. packages. Who wants to hang on to 4 oz. of pasta, anyway? Yes, I know, I know…A final note about pasta: Cheaper high-production pasta is typically cut with Teflon-coated cutters that result in a very smooth texture. Higher-quality pasta typically uses bronze cutters that result in a slightly rough texture. The rough texture helps the pasta adhere to the sauce and is a desirable quality. This is one of those things that separates high-quality ingredients from cheaper versions and that you really don’t know or think about until you taste it. Shop wisely! I just learned that Barilla in the fall of 2022, Barilla came out with a new line, “al bronzo” pasta that is bronze cut and in a red box, but apparently they do not make it in elbow macaroni pasta at the time of this writing.
The key here is to use the cheese you like, and that melts easily. I wouldn’t use sharp cheddar or cheese you know does not melt easily by itself, but when combined with American, sharp works OK. I also like Colby Jack. The gouda is good, but kids may not like it, so find a combination you like. Never, and I mean never, use Velveeta! Yes, it melts easily but to me it’s not real food…
The quantity of chicken is not critical, use what you have.
Using half Panko and half Italian breadcrumbs will give you the best of both worlds. A nice crunch from the Panko, excellent flavor from the Italian breadcrumbs. I love it!
The Dijon mustard has a distinct and desirable flavor, so I would not substitute it. You may even want to add a little more, and it’s amazing how much it enhances the flavor of the dish.
How you make the roux will determine the final taste of the mac and cheese. The longer you stir the flour and butter, the darker it will become, deepening the flavor of the dish. Generally, most people will just incorporate the two and move to the next step. I like taking the extra time and enjoying the additional flavor of a little darker roux. But note that not everyone likes the deeper taste of dark roux. Think about eating biscuits and gravy that have a dark, rich sauce, compared to a lighter one, or even gumbo, where the roux is so dark it is almost burnt. This is another one of those things, like using only Dijon mustard or bronze-cut pasta, where taking your time and considering the results of your actions dramatically reflects the outcome.
This chicken mac and cheese is excellent reheated. Here is how I do it. Cut the desired quantity from the casserole dish using a sharp metal spatula. The mac and cheese will be quite firm once the cheese solidifies. I use a Dexter-Russell 16271 4” x 3” beveled edge solid turner that I bought from Lou Malnati’s in Chicago (branded with their logo) since we love their pizza so much and try to go there often, and I’m trying like crazy to replicate their pizza at home. I’m not having much luck... The point is that this spatula is very sharp, has a lot of heft, and cuts well. I find I use it often, and here is a great example of why. Place the block of mac and cheese on a metal pan. We have a 10” round aluminum pizza pan that we use all the time for reheating leftovers. Make sure you have at least one in your kitchen. Anyway, place the mac and cheese on the pizza pan, making sure the breadcrumbs remain on the top. Use the spatula to cut bite-sized squares. The mac and cheese will expand and thin as you do this. This will allow the mac and cheese to warm thoroughly. Place the broiler on low and place in the oven. Watch it closely, and as the cheese starts to melt and the breadcrumbs brown, you will know it is ready. It will be delicious and still retain the nice crunch you had when you first ate it. It’s so good. I like it as much as the first day!
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Dave’s Chicken Mac and Cheese Casserole
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Call to Action
Show someone how much you love them by preparing a delicious meal for them. Later, enjoy the time and money you save by relishing your leftovers, either for lunch at work or dinner at home. Take comfort in knowing you are eating hearty food you prepared. All because you made a good decision to follow the recipes and tips in the cookbook I developed just for you.
Besides getting a copy of the cookbook for yourself, it makes an excellent gift for those you love and care for, especially for those with a young family who are looking to save time and money in the kitchen. And learn a few things in the process! What a great idea!
Recommended Resources
Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us by David Giustozzi (Note 1).
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Notes
Please note that as an Amazon Affiliate, I may earn a small commission on the sale of any of these recommended resources.
Everyday Cooking for Everyday People Like Us by David Giustozzi: https://amzn.to/437OhVQ
Achieve Your Dreams: A Complete Guide to Live Your Best Life by David Giustozzi: https://amzn.to/3IxEFgy