Honey Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup cottage cheese (low-fat or fat-free)
• 0.5 cup fat-free cheddar cheese (shredded; can substitute with reduced-fat)
• 1 mac and cheese seasoning packet (from a standard box)
• 0.25 cup buffalo sauce (for the cheese sauce)
• 0.5 cup fat-free milk
• 24 oz chicken breast (diced into cubes)
• garlic salt (to taste)
• onion powder (to taste)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp honey
• 4 tbsp buffalo sauce (for the chicken glaze)
• 8 oz protein pasta (dry weight; cooked according to package instructions)
• light ranch dressing (for drizzle)
• fresh chives (chopped for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   In a blender, combine 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese, 1/2 cup fat-free cheddar cheese, 1 mac and cheese seasoning packet, 1/4 cup buffalo sauce, and 1/2 cup fat-free milk.

2. 2

   Blend the mixture until it is completely smooth and set aside.

3. 3

   Dice 24 ounces of chicken breast into small cubes and place them in a mixing bowl.

4. 4

   Season the chicken with garlic salt, onion powder, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch; mix until the chicken is evenly coated.

5. 5

   Add the chicken to a hot pan and cook for approximately 15 minutes until the chicken is crispy and cooked through.

6. 6

   Add 2 tablespoons of honey and 4 tablespoons of buffalo sauce to the pan with the chicken.

7. 7

   Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and glazes the chicken.

8. 8

   In a large bowl, combine your cooked protein pasta with the blended cheese sauce.

9. 9

   Mix the pasta and sauce together until fully combined.

10. 10

    Top the pasta with the honey buffalo chicken.

11. 11

    Finish with a drizzle of light ranch, extra buffalo sauce, and a sprinkle of fresh chives.

Notes

The recipe is highly customizable; you can substitute chicken with tofu or add vegetables like peas. Using reduced-fat cheese instead of fat-free can improve the flavor profile if calories allow.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• mealprep
• high-protein
• mac and cheese
• chicken
• spicy
• healthy