Chicken Tenders with Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

• 2 lb Chicken breast (Cut into strips)
• Black pepper (To taste; used for the chicken and the flour mixture)
• Salt (To taste; used for the chicken, breading, and cooking water)
• Garlic powder (To taste; used for the chicken and the flour mixture)
• Onion powder (To taste; used for the chicken, breading, and macaroni sauce)
• Cayenne pepper (To taste)
• 1 Egg (For the wet mixture)
• 2 cup Milk (For the chicken's wet mixture)
• 2.5 cup All-purpose flour (For the breading)
• 3 tbsp Cornstarch (To make the breading crispier)
• Oil (Enough to cook the tenders in a skillet)
• Butter (A small piece, for the barbecue sauce)
• 1 cup Barbecue sauce (Nearly 1 cup)
• 3 tbsp Honey (For the tenders' sauce)
• 1 tbsp White vinegar (For the tenders' sauce)
• 0.5 lb Macaroni (Any preferred type)
• 2 Bay leaves (For the macaroni cooking water)
• 2 tbsp Butter (For the macaroni sauce)
• 3 Garlic (Cloves; or to taste)
• Paprika (To taste)
• Oregano (To taste)
• 1 tsp All-purpose flour (To thicken the cheese sauce)
• 2 cup Heavy cream (For the creamy sauce)
• 1 cup Whole milk (For the creamy sauce)
• Mozzarella cheese (Approximately 1 cup total together with the cheddar; some is reserved for browning)
• Cheddar cheese (Approximately 1 cup total together with the mozzarella; some is reserved for browning)

Steps

1. 1

   Cut the 2 lb of chicken breast into strips.

2. 2

   Place the chicken in a bowl and season it with pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Add the egg and the 2 cups of milk, and mix very well.

3. 3

   Let the chicken mixture rest for at least 30 minutes; according to the author, the longer it rests, the better the result.

4. 4

   In another bowl, mix the 2½ cups of all-purpose flour, the 3 tbsp of cornstarch, and all the seasonings used at the beginning.

5. 5

   Coat each chicken strip in the flour mixture, return it to the wet mixture, and coat it in the flour again for extra-crispy breading.

6. 6

   Heat enough oil in a skillet and cook the tenders over medium-low heat, preventing them from browning on the outside before they are cooked through.

7. 7

   In another skillet, add a small piece of butter, nearly 1 cup of barbecue sauce, the 3 tbsp of honey, and the 1 tbsp of white vinegar. Mix the ingredients.

8. 8

   Cook the sauce for 2 minutes.

9. 9

   Coat the cooked chicken tenders thoroughly with the barbecue, honey, and vinegar sauce.

10. 10

    For the macaroni, place water in a pot and add the 0.5 lb of macaroni, salt, and the 2 bay leaves.

11. 11

    Cook the macaroni in the water until tender. The transcript does not specify the cooking time or exact doneness.

12. 12

    In a skillet, melt the 2 tbsp of butter and add the 3 garlic cloves, paprika, onion powder, pepper, salt, oregano, and the 1 tsp of flour.

13. 13

    Stir in the 2 cups of heavy cream and the 1 cup of whole milk. Cook the sauce for 4 minutes.

14. 14

    Add the mozzarella and cheddar, approximately 1 cup total, and stir to incorporate them into the sauce.

15. 15

    Add the cooked macaroni and mix very well until coated with the cheese sauce.

16. 16

    Finish with a little more cheese. Optionally, place the macaroni in the oven only to brown the cheese.

17. 17

    Serve the chicken tenders with the macaroni and cheese, together or separately.

Notes

The transcript does not specify the exact oil temperature, frying time, pasta cooking time, or oven temperature for browning. The amount of cheese is given as approximately 1 cup combined mozzarella and cheddar, without specifying the proportion of each. The author indicates that the two components can be prepared and served together or separately.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• chicken
• pasta
• fried
• crispy
• comfort food
• cheesy
• American-inspired