High-Protein Honey BBQ Chicken Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 700 g Boneless, skinless chicken breast (Raw weight; diced)
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Onion powder
• 1 tsp Smoked paprika
• 1 tsp Garlic powder
• 1 tsp Olive oil
• 25 g Honey
• 85 g Sugar-free barbecue sauce (Hughes Sugar Free BBQ Sauce recommended; reduced-sugar barbecue sauce is an alternative.)
• 320 g Macaroni pasta (Uncooked weight)
• 340 ml Fat-free evaporated milk (Carnation Light & Creamy named in source)
• 80 g Light cream cheese (Philadelphia Lightest named in source)
• 1.5 tsp Chicken stock powder (Vegeta brand named in source)
• 100 g Light cheddar cheese, grated (Dairyworks Natural Cheddar Cheese named in source)

Steps

1. 1

   Dice the chicken breast if it is not already diced. Add the salt, onion powder, smoked paprika, and garlic powder to the chicken.

2. 2

   Add the olive oil and mix until the chicken is evenly coated with the oil and seasonings.

3. 3

   Heat a pan over medium heat. Add the seasoned chicken and cook for 4 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

4. 4

   Take the cooked chicken off the heat. Add the honey and barbecue sauce, then mix well to coat the chicken.

5. 5

   Cook the macaroni pasta according to its package directions, then drain it.

6. 6

   While the pasta cooks, place a separate pan over medium heat. Add the fat-free evaporated milk.

7. 7

   Add the light cream cheese and chicken stock powder to the pan, mixing as they warm.

8. 8

   Add the grated light cheddar cheese. Keep mixing until the sauce is smooth and creamy.

9. 9

   Add the cooked and drained pasta to the cheese sauce and keep mixing until evenly coated.

10. 10

    Divide the honey barbecue chicken and mac and cheese into 4 equal servings and serve.

Notes

The source gives medium heat and 4 minutes per side for the chicken, but does not specify a pasta cooking time or a separate sauce cooking duration.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• meal prep
• high-protein
• chicken
• pasta
• stovetop
• American