Chicken ‘n’ Waffles Mac & Cheese     0 thumbs up

Ingredients

2 frozen waffles, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped

6 tablespoons Tillamook® Unsalted Butter, divided, plus extra for buttering dish

8 ounces dry small elbow macaroni

5 tablespoons flour

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoons maple syrup

1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Tillamook® Medium Cheddar Cheese

1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded Tillamook® Colby Jack Cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups diced, cooked chicken

 

Instructions

Place rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 2-quart baking dish.

In the bowl of a food processor, place toasted waffle pieces and pulse until coarse crumbs. Transfer to small bowl. Melt 2 tablespoons butter and combine with waffle crumbs. Stir in 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Set aside.

In a large pot bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and macaroni. Cook according to package directions, stirring occasionally. Pasta is done when it is slightly chewy to the bite or al dente. Drain pasta in a colander and set aside.

Prepare sauce while pasta is cooking. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Whisk in flour and cook 3 minutes, whisking constantly. Gradually add milk and cream and bring just to a boil, continuing to whisk. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often until sauce begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ¼ cup maple syrup, cheeses, and salt. Stir until cheese is melted and smooth. Gently stir in chicken and cooked pasta. Pour into prepared baking dish and sprinkle with reserved topping.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and top begins to brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 8- 10