Jalapeno Popper Macaroni & Cheese

Add some spice to the holiday feast with this over-the-top incredible macaroni and cheese or add chicken for a full meal!

I had kept putting off making this recipe and I cannot really tell you why because my family loves anything jalapeno popper. I have made this for dinner and I have made this for a holiday side. When I make it for dinner, I like to add chicken to it (usually seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic) to make it extra hardy. This is just a seriously wonderful recipe with the perfect amount of heat and a nice crunch from the topping. No one will want any other macaroni and cheese ever again. This one is perfect.

What you need:

For pasta and sauce:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapeno peppers
• 1 bag (8 oz.) Kraft creamy Mexican shredded cheese with a touch of Philadelphia (or do a bag of Mexican cheese and a tablespoon or 2 of cream cheese)
• 3 cups penne pasta 
  
• Cooked, chopped bacon
• **Cooked, chopped chicken breasts
  

For the topping:

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• Sliced pickled jalapenos, for garnish
  

Directions:

1. For the pasta and sauce: In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
2. Whisk in flour until fully combined. Then whisk in milk and whisk until thickened.
3. Stir in dry mustard and jalapenos. Then add cheese and stir until melted.
   
4. Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente. Drain and add to a 9x13-inch baking dish.
5. Add cheese sauce and bacon (**and chicken) to pasta and stir to combine.
6. For the topping: Stir together butter and bread crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over pasta. 
7. Top with jalapeno peppers for garnish, if desired.
8. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until pasta is bubbly and top is golden brown.
   

Recipe slightly adapted from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs

Another really great pasta side dish that I love making is this Caprese Pasta. It's great to serve alongside grilled chicken! I really want to make this Buffalo Chicken Macaroni & Cheese from Lauren's Latest because it's the other type of food my family loves: buffalo chicken.

Jalapeno Popper Macaroni & Cheese

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Author: Sarah Ellis/Fantastical Sharing of Recipes

Ingredients

For pasta and sauce:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapeno peppers
• 1 bag (8 oz.) Kraft creamy Mexican shredded cheese with a touch of Philadelphia (or do a bag of Mexican cheese and a tablespoon or 2 of cream cheese)
• 3 cups penne pasta
• Cooked, chopped bacon
• **Cooked, chopped chicken breasts

For the topping:

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• Sliced pickled jalapenos, for garnish

Instructions

1. For the pasta and sauce: In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
2. Whisk in flour until fully combined. Then whisk in milk and whisk until thickened.
3. Stir in dry mustard and jalapenos. Then add cheese and stir until melted.
4. Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente. Drain and add to a 9x13-inch baking dish.
5. Add cheese sauce and bacon (**and chicken) to pasta and stir to combine.
6. For the topping: Stir together butter and bread crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over pasta.
7. Top with jalapeno peppers for garnish, if desired.
8. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until pasta is bubbly and top is golden brown.

Notes:

Recipe slightly adapted from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs

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