Description
Doritos mac and cheese casserole with chicken brings crispy, cheesy comfort to your dinner table. Crunchy tortilla chips crown a creamy pasta base, delivering a mouthwatering blend of textures you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 cups macaroni noodles
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese blend
- 4 cups milk
Dairy and Binding Ingredients:
- 7.5 ounces (212 grams) Philadelphia Whipped Chive Cream Cheese
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Seasonings and Broth:
- 10.5 ounces (298 grams) condensed chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the oven by heating to 375°F and coating a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
- Create a roux in a large pot by melting butter and incorporating flour, whisking continuously until the mixture turns a light golden color and releases a nutty aroma.
- Slowly pour milk into the roux, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming, and allow the mixture to reach a gentle boil.
- Add uncooked macaroni directly into the boiling milk mixture, reducing heat to low and covering the pot to allow the pasta to cook and absorb the liquid.
- Incorporate condensed chicken broth and shredded chicken into the creamy pasta, stirring to distribute ingredients evenly.
- Blend in whipped chive cream cheese, seasoning with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder until the mixture becomes smooth and the cream cheese fully melts.
- Fold in two cups of shredded cheese blend, ensuring a thorough and uniform distribution throughout the pasta.
- Transfer the creamy pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it out to create an even layer.
- Crush Doritos into rough pieces and sprinkle them over the pasta, then top with the remaining shredded cheese for added texture and flavor.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese becomes completely melted and bubbly, and the Doritos turn a golden brown, approximately 7-9 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, let cool for a few minutes, then serve this indulgent, crunchy mac and cheese casserole to eager diners.
Notes
- Crush Doritos slightly before topping to ensure even crunch and better distribution across the casserole.
- Swap regular chicken with rotisserie chicken for extra flavor and faster preparation.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to control salt levels and prevent the dish from becoming too salty.
- For gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with cornstarch or gluten-free flour blend and use gluten-free pasta.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg