Chicken Mac-n-cheese Casserole
Again, I made a lot to last the family a few days. Adjust as needed!
Ingredients:
2lbs chicken, shredded (I made this in the crockpot ahead of time with chicken broth, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper)
3 boxes Banza chickpea noodles (macaroni or cavatappi)
1-2 heads of broccoli, cut into florets (I left them larger so that the baby could eat them too)
4 tablespoons chickpea flour (or your preference)
3 1/2 cups plain fat-free Fairlife milk (or your preference)
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1-1 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (optional)
Paprika, to sprinkle up top
Optional- mix cayenne pepper into the breadcrumbs for additional spice
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a little bit of salt. Cook pasta according to package directions. Add broccoli to the pot for the last 5-6 minutes of cooking, until tender. (Depending on the noodle choice, that may be the full cooking time.) Cook the pasta until al dente- don’t overcook.
Remove and drain the pasta and broccoli. Set aside. (I kept it in the strainer for ease.)
In the pot, the noodles cooked in, whisk the milk and flour until the mixture is smooth. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Add the cooked pasta, broccoli, chicken, salt, and pepper to the cheese mixture and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Transfer to a greased large casserole dish. (I used a large disposable aluminum pan.)
(This step is optional. If this doesn’t fit into your macros, this would still be super tasty without it!) In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs with 2-3 tablespoons of melted butter and stir to combine. The amount of breadcrumbs may vary depending on the size of your dish. (Optional- add cayenne pepper for extra spice.) Add the breadcrumbs to the top of the casserole. Sprinkle on paprika.
Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Serve warm, and you can sprinkle on chili pepper. Enjoy!
