BBQ Chicken Mac and Cheese

Name: BBQ Chicken Mac and Cheese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups uncooked elbow pasta; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 cup oyster mushrooms, chopped; ½ cup frozen peas, thawed; 1 tbsp flour; 1 cup milk; 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese; 2 cooked chicken breasts, cubed or shredded; 1 tbsp BBQ sauce; Salt and pepper to taste; Fresh chives for garnish

Recipe GLPRa37f5d6735f108

American

Main Course

30 min

796 cal

Servings: 4

Stovetop

SNAP eligible

A comforting one-dish meal featuring tender elbow pasta coated in a creamy cheddar sauce, loaded with smoky BBQ-seasoned chicken, sautéed mushrooms, and sweet peas. This easy weeknight dinner combines the richness of melted cheese with smoky barbecue flavors for a satisfying comfort food classic.

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Ingredients

2 cups uncooked elbow pasta

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup oyster mushrooms, chopped

½ cup frozen peas, thawed

1 tbsp flour

1 cup milk

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cooked chicken breasts, cubed or shredded

1 tbsp BBQ sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh chives for garnish

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the elbow pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped mushrooms and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown.
Add the thawed peas to the skillet and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the flour and milk until smooth. Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, whisking frequently, until the mixture thickens, about 3-4 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from heat and add the shredded cheddar cheese. Stir or whisk until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth.
Add the BBQ sauce and cooked chicken to the cheese sauce. Stir well to combine and evenly coat the chicken with the sauce.
Add the sautéed mushrooms and peas to the cheese sauce and stir until everything is evenly coated.
Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and toss until all the pasta is coated in the creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fresh chives. Serve immediately, with additional cheddar cheese on the side if desired.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4.25

Oyster mushrooms are the catch here—they're not standard stock at Charlotte's major chains, so expect a stop at Harris Teeter's specialty produce section or a trip to an independent market, adding real friction to a weeknight cook. The 30-minute claim ignores pasta water boiling and cheese sauce simmering, realistically pushing this closer to 40 minutes. Cost per serving lands around $3.50 to $4.00 driven by the chicken breast and fresh mushrooms, reasonable but not budget-friendly. The dish itself is forgiving: one pan after pasta, tolerates interrupted cooking, and reheats well, making it solid for families who can swing the mushroom sourcing and time adjustment.