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Baked Macaroni and Chicken Casserole

This is my favorite nostalgia meal! It was the comfort food I always wanted on my birthday as a kid and today, my dad makes it for me when he knows I'm coming home. This easy-to-assemble casserole is ideal for freezer meal prep or just a comforting bite after a long week.
Keyword casserole, chicken, macaroni and cheese
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • 1 casserole dish
  • 1 Large Sauce Pan
  • 1 pot

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1/8 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup half and half cream
  • 1 cup chicken broth or stock
  • 8 oz velveeta brick cut into cubes
  • 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese hand shredded
  • 1/2 box elbow macaroni pasta cooked to package instructions
  • 1 1/2 cups rotisserie chicken roughly cut
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch pepper

Instructions

  • Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni pasta al dente according to package instructions, drain and set aside.
  • While your pasta is cooking, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a large saucepan, melt butter until bubbly. Stir in flour until combined and cook for 1-2 minutes. It should smell nutty at the end of the 2 minutes.
  • On medium heat, add cream and chicken broth to the roux (butter & flour mixture) and whisk until smooth. Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened and bubbly.
  • Once thickened, cook for 2 more minutes and reduce the heat to low/simmer. Add the Velveeta cheese first. Once it's fully melted and combined, add in the monterey jack cheese and stir until melted.
  • Fold in your chicken and add salt and pepper to taste. You can also add some garlic powder if you'd like! If the sauce is too thick for your preference, add 1/8 cup of chicken broth to thin it out.
  • Once you've seasoned your sauce, add your macaroni pasta and stir to combine. Pour the entire mixture into a greased casserole dish.
  • Bake for 30 minutes and enjoy!

Notes

Cooking from frozen? Let the casserole thaw in the fridge for 6 to 7 hours then bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes covered with aluminum foil. Remove the foil for final 15 minutes of cooking. 
You can easily double this recipe as well!