Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipes With Cream of Chicken

It's the best of all worlds! Chicken plus mac and cheese -- together in one dish -- with absolutely ZERO prep work! Just stir together the raw ingredients and let the oven do the rest. This creamy, dreamy Dump-and-Bake Chicken Mac and Cheese Casserole is a one dish meal that your family will devour!

Do you ever just throw together a box of mac and cheese and call it dinner? It's a regular occurrence in our house, and I often feel like I need to add some protein and/or veggies to the plate to make it feel like a "complete" meal. So guess what? That's exactly what I've done here!

How to make Mac and Cheese:

If you love a creamy, homemade baked mac and cheese, then you're going to love how quickly this dinner comes together! You get the rich, satisfying taste of the mac and cheese that you adore, plus the lean, filling protein from the chicken, all in the ease of a dump-and-bake casserole.

You know that's my favorite way to cook, and this just happens to be one of my new favorite dishes!

I'm not exaggerating when I say "dump-and-bake," either. You don't even have to cook the chicken or boil the pasta before it goes in the pan.

What to serve with Chicken Mac and Cheese:

Want to add some more veggies to your plate? Try these easy side dishes with your creamy baked macaroni and cheese:

• Simple green salad with Italian Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans
• 10-Minute Creamy Cucumber Salad
• Garlic Roasted Broccoli

COOK'S TIPS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS - EASY BAKED MAC AND CHEESE:

• Grate your own cheddar by hand. I find that the store-bought packages of pre-shredded cheese don't melt as smoothly as the blocks that you grate at home.
• If you don't have time to refrigerate the pasta in advance, it's ok! The casserole will still work if you bake it right away. The refrigeration time just allows the pasta to soften a bit before it goes in the oven, so you may need to bake the mac and cheese a bit longer if it hasn't had a chance to sit first.
• Substitute diced ham for the chicken! If you want to use ground beef in lieu of the chicken, make sure that you cook the ground beef in a skillet before adding it to your casserole.
• Prep ahead! This recipe has the added benefit of being a make-ahead option. You can stir it together on Sunday evening and just bake it when you walk in the door on Monday night! Or, prepare it in the morning while your little one's at preschool, and then pop it in the oven when the stressful 5 o'clock hour strikes. We've all been there, right?!

I hope that your family loves this easy one dish meal just as much as we do. It's an easier upgrade of your toddler's favorite comfort food!

Other easy macaroni recipes that you might enjoy:

• Dump-and-Bake Overnight Macaraoni and Cheese
• 5-Ingredient Dump-and-Bake Beefaroni
• Southern "Big Easy" Chop Suey

Dump-and-Bake Chicken Mac and Cheese Casserole

Chicken plus mac and cheese -- together in one dish -- with absolutely ZERO prep work! Just stir together the raw ingredients and let the oven do the rest for this creamy, easy Dump-and-Bake Chicken Mac and Cheese Casserole!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword baked mac and cheese, easy macaroni and cheese recipe, mac and cheese

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Chilling Time 6 hours

Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 346.8 kcal

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni pasta
• 8 ounces cheddar cheese grated
• 2 cans (10.5 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup milk I used 2%
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 lb. uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
• 1 cup finely-diced onion I use frozen chopped onion as a shortcut
• 1 (4 ounce) jar diced pimentos, drained

• Spray a large 9 x 13-inch dish with cooking spray.

• In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Transfer to prepared baking dish, cover, and refrigerate at least 6 hours (or up to 24 hours). See note below if you don't have time to refrigerate in advance!

• When you're ready to bake the casserole: If you have the time, I like to pull the dish out of the refrigerator and allow it to sit on the counter and come to room temperature for about 30-60 minutes before I put it in the oven.

• Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 1 hour (or until pasta is tender and chicken is cooked through).

COOK'S TIPS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS:

• Grate your own cheddar by hand. I find that the store-bought packages of pre-shredded cheese don't melt as smoothly as the blocks that you grate at home.
• If you don't have time to refrigerate the pasta in advance, it's ok! The casserole will still work if you bake it right away. The refrigeration time just allows the pasta to soften a bit before it goes in the oven, so you may need to bake the mac and cheese a bit longer if it hasn't had a chance to sit first.
• Substitute diced ham for the chicken! If you want to use ground beef in lieu of the chicken, make sure that you cook the ground beef in a skillet before adding it to your casserole.
• Prep ahead! This recipe has the added benefit of being a make-ahead option. You can stir it together on Sunday evening and just bake it when you walk in the door on Monday night! Or, prepare it in the morning while your little one's at preschool, and then pop it in the oven when the stressful 5 o'clock hour strikes. We've all been there, right?!
• Cooking Just for Two? Cut the ingredients in half and prepare a smaller casserole in an 8-inch square pan.

Serving: 1 /8 of the recipe | Calories: 346.8 kcal | Carbohydrates: 30.4 g | Protein: 26.3 g | Fat: 12.8 g | Saturated Fat: 7.3 g | Cholesterol: 71.8 mg | Sodium: 781.9 mg | Fiber: 1.9 g | Sugar: 3.2 g

Reader Interactions

Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipes With Cream of Chicken

Source: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/chicken-mac-and-cheese/

Share this post