Chicken Fajita Mac & Cheese
This pasta recipe was extracted from a YouTube cooking video and organized into 18 ingredients with step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients list
pastamediumlunchdinneraffordable30 to 60minmeal prep
Protein
800g (1.7 lbs) boneless, skinless chicken breast
Produce
1 large onion
2 bell peppers
5 cloves garlic
Pantry
250g (8.8 oz) macaroni or shells pasta
1 tbsp honey
neutral oil or spray oil
Dairy
130g (4.5 oz) cheddar cheese
150g (5.3 oz) light cream cheese
1.5 cups milk
14g (1 tbsp) unsalted butter
Spices and Herbs
dried oregano
onion powder
garlic powder
ground cumin
smoked paprika
salt
cracked black pepper
Cooking steps
Cooking Instructions
1. Prep the Vegetables
- Thinly slice the onion and the two bell peppers, removing the seeds and core.
- Mince the garlic cloves. Set 2/3 of the garlic aside for the chicken and 1/3 for the vegetable mix.
- Finely grate the cheddar cheese.
2. Prepare the Chicken
- Butterfly the chicken breasts and slice them into thin strips.
3. Cook the Pasta
- Boil a pot of water, season with salt, and cook 250g of pasta for 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain and reserve some pasta water.
4. Cook the Vegetables
- Heat a large pan over high heat with oil. Add the onion and bell peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Fry for 6–7 minutes until golden and soft.
- Add 1/3 of the minced garlic, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1.5 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, and a touch of salt. Mix and cook for 1 minute.
- Remove from the pan and set aside.
5. Cook the Chicken
- Using the same pan, add oil and cook the chicken in batches over high heat. Season with a touch of salt.
- Once the chicken is cooked through, add the remaining 2/3 of garlic, 3 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp garlic powder, 1.5 tsp onion powder, 1.5 tsp dried oregano, 1.5 tsp ground cumin, and 1 tbsp honey. Mix thoroughly and cook for 1 minute.
- Mix in 2/3 of the cooked vegetable mixture.
6. Make the Sauce and Assemble
- Use the same pan over low heat, add 1.5 cups milk, 150g light cream cheese, and 14g unsalted butter. Stir until smooth and the butter is melted.
- Stir in 130g grated cheddar cheese until melted. Season with a touch of salt and pepper.
- Add the cooked pasta and the remaining 1/3 of the cooked vegetable mixture. Mix until combined and coat with sauce. Use reserved pasta water if necessary to achieve the desired consistency.
7. Pack
- Divide the chicken fajita mixture and the mac and cheese into 5 containers.
