IThis afternoon, I decided I needed to create chicken enchilada macaroni and cheese. I am so glad I did. I took a tried and true basic baked macaroni and cheese recipe and added to it to make it spectacular. (This is the same basic recipe I use for my buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese that I should blog, and that I want to use for a few other variations I have in mind.) I also doubled the recipe, but here I have one batch.
As I usually do when I recreate a recipe and add to it, I made way too much. As in two 9x12 pans, an 8 inch round casserole, and a 9 inch round casserole. I always double so I have one to eat freshx one to freeze for later, and one to share. This time, two are for sharing (and sorry, they are already claimed). That said, this will make enough for two- one to eat and one to freeze or share. Or heck, have a party!
Baked Chicken Enchilada Macaroni & Cheese
(adapted by me from Alton Brown's Baked Mac and Cheese, homemade enchilada sauce courtesy gimmesomeoven)
1/2 pound macaroni
16 ounces shredded cheddar and jack cheeses
1 cup black beans
1 cup corn
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 small or medium green chile
2 oz sliced black olives
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp mustard
4 cups milk
1/4 c. Diced onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp mustard powder
1 egg
12 oz enchilada sauce (more or less to taste)
Crushed tortilla chips or tortilla strips for topping
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cook and cube chicken.
(This is actually 8 pounds of chicken (for this recipe and another I'm doing this week.))
In frying pan, sauté chopped green chile with onion and garlic. Add corn, olives, and tomatoes. Remove from heat and dump into a big bowl with the chicken.
Rinse black beans, add to the bowl.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente. Drain and add to the chicken and vegetables and mix well.
In a large pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour, paprika, and mustard, keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, and enchilada sauce. Simmer ten minutes.
Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Pour into the mix and pour into a 2 quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and crushed chips. Repeat into a second dish.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.
You can garnish with sour cream if you'd like.
Here is the recipe I used for the enchilada sauce-
http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/red-enchilada-sauce/
