BBQ Chicken Mac N Cheese

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This isn’t some shitty protein mac N cheese. This is the real deal, legit shit, BBQ chicken mac N cheese that’s actually macro-friendly. Roughly 600 calories and 54 grams of protein per meal. You can’t go wrong with this meal. It’s easy to make in under an hour and gives you 8 solid meals. No further explanation needed. Let’s get into it.

Cheese Sauce and Noodles Ingredients

  • 10 oz elbow noodles (or desired noodle shape)
  • 1 tbsp BBQ seasoning
  • 1/4 cup BBQ Sauce
  • 8 oz cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups skim milk
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp flour

Chicken Ingredients

  • 2.5 lbs chicken breast or thighs (I prefer thighs, but breast have better macros)
  • BBQ seasoning
  • 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
  • Salt

BBQ Chicken Mac N Cheese Nutrition

Nutrition (% of cals)
Total Recipe
Per Meal Prepped
Calories
4700
4700
Protein (?)
430g
430g
Fat (?)
180g
180g
Carbs (?)
306g
306g
Fiber
11g
11g

Instructions

  1. Season the Chicken
    • Add your chicken to a large bowl
    • Salt and generously coat your chicken with BBQ seasoning
  2. Cook the Chicken
    • Preheat the oven to 350°F
    • In a pan or on a griddle, sear the chicken for 4 minutes a side
    • Transfer the chicken to a rimmed baking pan and bake for 15 minutes
  3. Boil the Noodles
    • In a large pot, bring heavily salted water to a boil
    • Boil the noodles for 8 minutes, or until just shy of al dente
    • Drain and set a side
  4. Make the Cheese Sauce
    • In a medium-hot pan, melt 2 tbsp of butter
    • Add 2 tbsp of flour and whisk until smooth and fragrant
    • When fully mixed and fragrant, slowly start adding milk
    • Slowly add 2 cups of milk in stages, whisking constantly as you pour it in
      • Note: This step can take up to 10 minutes, don’t rush it
    • Once the mixture is smooth and thickened, stir in your cheddar and parmesan
    • After the cheese has melted, add 1 tbsp BBQ seasoning, 1/4 cup BBQ sauce, and salt & pepper to taste
  5. Cut the Chicken
    • Cut the baked chicken into bite sized pieces
    • Pour the juices from the baking pan into the cheese sauce
      • Don’t skip this step, it’s flavor gold
  6. Combine It All
    • Add the chicken and noodles to the cheese sauce
    • Cook everything together for 5 minutes, stirring constantly
  7. Final Touches and Serve
    • Taste and adjust seasoning as needed
    • Serve while hot or portion into meal prep containers for later
      • (optional) Top with parmesan before serving

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