Baked Mac & Cheese With Popcorn Chicken

Instructions

1. In a large cooking pot, boil macaroni pasta according to package instructions until slightly undercooked, then drain using a strainer and set aside.
2. In the same pot on medium heat, melt butter, then add flour and mix continuously for about 1 minute to form a roux.
3. Slowly pour in milk while stirring constantly until mixture thickens slightly.
4. Lower heat and gradually add a handful of cheddar and mozzarella cheese at a time while stirring until fully melted and smooth. Make sure every handful fully metls before adding an other one.
5. Gradually mix in parmesan cheese while stirring.
6. Mix in paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper while stirring.
7. Combine pasta, frozen popcorn chicken, and cheese sauce until evenly mixed.
8. Pour everything in a large baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and optional breadcrumbs.
9. If baking immediately, preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
10. If baking later, cover with a layer of tin foil followed by a layer of plastic wrap, then refrigerate/freeze until ready to bake.
11. Once ready to bake, remove plastic wrap if prepared beforehand, otherwise cover with tin foil, then bake at 375°F (190°C) for 35 - 40 minutes covered (60 - 75 minutes if frozen).
12. Remove tin foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes or until the cheese becomes golden brown and the popcorn chicken is fully cooked and crispy.

Notes

Related

• Large Baking Dish (9x13)
• Large Cooking Pot