Comfort Food Turned Healthy Meal Prep: Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

Start by preparing the chicken. Flatten the chicken breast slightly and cut it into strips. Then, cut the strips into 2 by 2 cm cubes.

Fill a pot halfway with water and place it on high heat. Add a large tablespoon of salt to the water. Cover the pot with a lid and let the water come to a boil. This will be used for cooking the pasta.

In a blender or a bowl, combine the skim milk, dry parmesan cheese, light cheddar cheese, light cream cheese, salt, and pepper to prepare the cheese sauce. If using a blender, blend the ingredients until you have a smooth sauce. If using a bowl, mix the ingredients until well combined.

Cook the macaroni pasta according to the package instructions in the boiling salted water. Once cooked, save 50ml of pasta water, drain the pasta and set it aside.

In a large frying pan, heat some olive oil over high heat. Add the chicken cubes to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they are just cooked through. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.

Using the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add the cheese sauce to the pan. Stir in the hot sauce (e.g., Frank's Hot Sauce) and simmer the sauce until it thickens slightly.

Add about 50ml of pasta water to the pan, along with the drained pasta. Reduce the sauce until it thickens and coats the pasta, which should take approximately 2-3 minutes. Then, add the cooked chicken to the pan and stir to combine everything.

Divide the Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese evenly into 5 containers. If desired, garnish with finely diced spring onion for a fresh touch.

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: