A slightly spicy macaroni and cheese with some great add-ins like green chilis, seared chicken, black beans, and corn. Great as a meal or a side!
Ingredients
1poundelbow macaroni
1large chicken breast, grilled or pan seared
2poblano peppers, Or hatch chiles
1Cupblack beans, canned
1Cupsweet corn, frozen works best
1poundpepper jack cheese
3CupsMilk
1small onion, diced
4Tablespoonsbutter
4Tablespoonsall-purpose flour
1Cuppanko breadcrumbs
Salt and Pepper
Instructions
To roast peppers, add them directly to the flame over a grill or a gas stove. Turn the peppers ever minute or so until they are completely charred. Add the peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 10 minutes to steam.
Remove peppers and peel or rub off skin. Don’t rinse the peppers under water. Once peeled, remove seeds and dice them up.
If you’re using chicken, season it with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and some dried chili flakes if you have some. Sear it for about 5 minutes a side and then finish it in a 350 degree oven until cooked through, about 15 minutes. You could also grill it. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes and then dice it up into small bites.
Toast panko crumbs in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes, tossing occasionally. They should be lightly browned. Set aside for later.
Drain and rinse black beans from can and set aside.
Melt butter in medium to large pot over medium heat. Once melted add diced onion and cook until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for another few minutes.
Whisk in milk in 1 cup batches. Add it slowly to avoid lumps. Continue to cook the sauce and turn the heat down to medium-low once the milk is added. It should start to thicken and be the consistency of a light gravy.
Whisk in cheese and once cheese is melted, add roasted chiles.
Cook macaroni according to package, drain, add macaroni back to pot and add cheese sauce to macaroni. Stir to combine, then add diced chicken, beans, and corn. Season with salt and pepper.