Description
Spicy-sweet honey pepper chicken mac elevates comfort food with a delightful twist of bold flavors. Creamy pasta meets crispy chicken in this irresistible dish that promises to satisfy cravings and spark joy at your dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 25 ounces (708.75 grams) breaded chicken strips
- 16 ounces (454 grams) spiral noodles
- 5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Sauce and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup (177 milliliters) honey
- 1/4 cup (59 milliliters) brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup (59 milliliters) pineapple juice
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
Cheese and Dairy Ingredients:
- 1 stick (113 grams) butter
- 2 cups (473 milliliters) heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 cup (100 grams) mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 3/4 cup (75 grams) colby jack cheese, shredded
- Fresh basil
Instructions
- Prepare chicken strips as directed on packaging, ensuring even cooking for optimal tenderness.
- Create honey glaze by combining sauce ingredients in a saucepan, bringing to a rolling boil then reducing heat to simmer for approximately 15 minutes until consistency thickens and develops rich flavor profile.
- Craft creamy cheese sauce by gently melting butter with cream, gradually incorporating cheeses and minced garlic, stirring continuously until achieving smooth, velvety texture.
- Combine cooked pasta with prepared cheese sauce, ensuring each pasta strand is thoroughly coated, then integrate crispy bacon pieces throughout the mixture.
- Drizzle warm honey glaze over cooked chicken strips, ensuring complete and even coverage for maximum flavor absorption.
- Plate the cheesy pasta as foundation, strategically arrange glazed chicken strips on top, garnish with fresh basil leaves and optional additional crispy bacon crumbles for enhanced visual appeal and textural contrast.
Notes
- Enhance flavor by marinating chicken in honey sauce for 30 minutes before cooking for deeper taste infusion.
- Opt for whole wheat pasta to boost nutritional value and add nutty undertones to the dish.
- Customize spice levels by adjusting black pepper or adding red pepper flakes for extra kick.
- Prepare gluten-free version by using gluten-free pasta and checking honey sauce ingredients for potential gluten sources.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 750
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 70 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg