Sriracha Fried Chicken Mac and Cheese

I'm quick to tell anyone that Mac and Cheese is my favorite meal ever. The only people that ever say they don't like Mac and Cheese just think it's too bland. This layered recipe of sweet, creamy and spicy is perfect for Mac and Cheese lovers and skeptics alike.

Boasting my proud Canadian heritage with creamy maple butter to balance out creamy and salty, this is the perfect show stopper recipe to impress friends and family.

I'm on a diet, how can I eat this recipe? This probably isn't the recipe for you. A meal like this isn't fit for every day consumption. It's rich, it's filling and it's high calorie. If you have a hankering for comfort food, you can try my 5 Minute Microwave Mac and Cheese that only clocks in at 300 calories a serving. You can also "fry" the chicken with an Air Fryer or in a convection oven.

Can this recipe be made vegetarian? Yes! Leave out the chicken and just make the Mac and Cheese. That will change the recipe significantly and I'd recommend not putting maple butter on without the chicken. Alternatively, you can serve it with meatless chicken tenders like these ones from Gardein.

What about vegan? Honestly, there are some amazing vegan Mac and Cheese recipes that I'd recommend instead of trying to veganize this one. Although very different, you can use my vegan baked mac and cheese recipe and top with meatless chicken tenders and maple butter,

Can this recipe be customized for a keto diet? Sort of! For keto, I'd recommend substituting macaroni with steamed cauliflower. Instead of using a mix of milk and cream for the sauce, just use cream and use about half the amount. Feel free to add in cream cheese for extra fat and to thicken. As for the chicken - use this recipe from Savory Tooth instead.

I don't have... What can I use instead?

...Chicken Breasts? Chicken thighs can be substituted. You'll need to cook the chicken for slightly less time or they'll dry out. Make sure either the breast or the thigh are boneless and skinless.

...Maple Butter? Maple syrup is a great substitution! If you don't have either, it can be left out entirely or replaced with honey in a pinch. Don't use artificial syrups like Aunt Jemima as they're basically corn syrup and just add sweetness with no depth of flavor.

...Sriracha? Add in some cayenne pepper, about 1 teaspoon. If you don't like spice this can be left out all together.

...Cream/Milk? If you only have milk/cream or don't have the right percentage of milk - it's just important that you use the same amount of liquid. Use the dairy you have and just know that different fat percentages being subbed out will either make the dish thinner, less rich or thicker.

...Buttermilk? Pour 1 tablespoon of white vinegar into a 1 cup measuring cup. Fill the rest of the cup (up to the 1 cup line) with milk. It's not the exact same as buttermilk but works better for a recipe like this than it would in baking.

...Cheddar/Smoked Gouda? No worries - use what you have. Just make sure you use the same amount of cheese and avoid non-melting cheeses like Halloumi/Paneer, very mild cheeses like Mild Cheddar/Mozzarella or overly pungent cheeses like Gorgonzola. Also, if you use Parmesan, make sure it makes up no more than ¼ of the cheese and that you reduce the salt.

...Macaroni? You can use any noodle at all. I prefer short ones over shapes like spaghetti, fettuccini or linguine.

Instructions, FAQs and Other Tips

Instructions (Optimized for Speed)

1. Eight hours before cooking (or the night before) add all the marinade ingredients together and marinade the chicken for 8-12 hours ideally - 4 is sufficient.
2. Start preparing the dish by cooking your noodle of choice. Drain and set aside.
3. Grate the cheese(s) and divide into 4 equal parts.
4. In a medium pan, make a roux by melting butter and cooking off flour. Add in milk/cream and simmer until thickened. Remove from heat and mix in spices and ½ of the cheese. Allow the cheese to melt completely.
5. Combine the pasta, cheese sauce and ¼ of the grated cheese. Place in an oven safe dish and top with the remaining ¼ portion of cheese.
6. Bake for 15 minutes uncovered until bubbly and browned. If desired, broil for a few minutes for extra browning.
7. While the mac and cheese is baking, breading ingredients. Remove chicken from fridge and shake off excess buttermilk. Coat in flour mixture. Repeat process of buttermilk and flour coating 2 times. Set aside.
8. Heat oil in a dutch oven or deep fryer to 360 degrees. Cook chicken until browned and a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees for food safety. Set aside on a wire rack.

Assembly

• If you're using individual cast iron pans (recommended), place a piece of chicken on top of the mac and cheese and top the chicken with 1 tsp of maple butter, or to taste. Optionally, garnish the dish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
• If using a large baking dish, divide the mac into cheese into desired portions (about 4) and place chicken on top of the mac and cheese. Place 1 teaspoon of maple butter on the chicken. Optionally, garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

FAQ:

Can I make this ahead? How do I reheat it? Yes! Mac and Cheese is best served immediately but remains safe for about 5 days in the fridge. To reheat, place the pasta in an oven safe baking dish and bake at 300 until warmed through. For best results, heat the chicken on a separate baking dish and flip once after about 7 minutes.

Can I make this ahead and freeze it? I doubt there will be enough left over to freeze no matter how much you make, but yes. If your plan is to cook this, slightly undercook your pasta for best results. The night before you want to eat it, let it defrost slowly in the fridge. Once defrosted, heat in the oven at 300 until heated through. If you're lazy, you can nuke it in the microwave for about 5 minutes at medium power. I like to add a bit of milk to the top to help it stay moist.

How to fix dry Mac and Cheese? If your Mac and Cheese comes out dry, you likely cooked down the sauce too much and/or over thickened it. If it's dry when you're reheating it, the best bet is to pour a tablespoon or so of milk or cream over the pasta before reheating and then mix it together after it's heated.

What equipment do I need for this recipe? I always mention a food processor in any recipes involving cheese. I'm really lazy when it comes to grating cheese so I always use my shred setting on my food processor to grate cheese. A cheese grater is definitely sufficient. If it's an emergency you can use pre-shredded cheese but it won't melt as well and may make your Mac and Cheese grainy.

Zero Waste Tips

How Can I Make This a Meal + Serving Suggestions

When planning sides for a dish as rich as a Fried Chicken Mac and Cheese, it's important to try and balance out the heaviness. Some of my favourites are:

• Coleslaw - this recipe from AllRecipes is a classic (unhealthy) coleslaw traditionally served with Southern Mac and Cheese recipes.
• If you're really lazy and just want something quick, you can heat up frozen vegetables. My favourite is frozen green peas with a bit of butter.
• Roasted Vegetables, especially green ones, are a great healthy addition to this to make it feel at least sort of like an adult meal. I love these Roasted Brussels Sprouts from Once Upon a Chef.

Waste Free Kitchen Tips

• If you already have bone-in skin-on chicken breasts or thighs - use them. Take the skin and make Crispy Chicken Skin from Mike at Pro Home Cooks.
  • The video also shows how to butcher a chicken but I prefer the butchering guide from Melissa Clark at the NYT.
  • BONUS: Keep the reserved chicken fat as a cooking oil that can be used instead of butter or oil in savoury dishes.
  • BONUS x2: Take the bones and freeze them, adding them to your freezer broth reserve bags.
• As if you need a way to use up leftover cheese... but just in case, you can make my 5 Minute Microwave Mac and Cheese when you run out of leftovers from this recipe.

What can I do with leftover buttermilk? Luckily buttermilk lasts a pretty long time and it also freezes incredibly well. If you want a full list of tips, check my post on how to use leftover buttermilk.

Need more comfort food? Try this Beer Battered Haddock.