Garlic Parmesan Mac and Cheese with Chicken

About This Recipe

Cheesy macaroni with pan fried garlic parmesan chicken topped with crispy Italian breadcrumbs.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast (cut into bite size pieces)
• 1 Tbsp 15g Minced Garlic
• 2 Tbsp 15g Reduced Fat Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper (reduce if you're spice sensitive)
• 2 packages (8 oz each Barilla Ready Pasta Elbows)
• 3/4 C 170g Fat Free Greek Yogurt, plain
• 1/4 C 56g Light Butter, I used Land O' Lakes
• 1 C 112g Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• 2 Tbsp 30g Minced Garlic
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/4 C 56g Light Butter*
• 1/2 C 56g Italian Breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
2. Toss the chicken pieces in the garlic, grated parmesan, black pepper, and red pepper.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with nonstick cooking spray. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken to the pan. Leave untouched for 5 minutes before flipping.
4. Cook for an additional 2 minutes before reducing the heat to low and covering for 6 minutes.
5. While the chicken cooks, microwave the pasta according to the directions on the package. Set aside.
6. Mix the remaining mac and cheese ingredients in a bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals for 2-3 minutes, stirring at each interval. (The cheese sauce should be smooth but it doesn't have to be 100% homogenous.)
7. Once the chicken is finished cooking, add the pasta and cheese sauce to the pan. Stir until everything is evenly mixed. (If the cheese is a little stringy, you can add a few tablespoons of milk, working everything together over low heat.)
8. Turn off the heat and set the skillet aside or add everything to a baking dish if your skillet is not oven-safe.
9. Microwave the remaining butter for the crispy topping for 5-10 seconds or until it's mostly melted. Add the breadcrumbs and stir until it starts to look like a wet sand. Add to the top of the mac and cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and no liquid remains in the bottom of the mac and cheese.