Chicken Mac and Cheese

Reading now:

I finished watching part of the HBO drama “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” with Oprah since I adore the book.  The book is fantastic and was a hit at our book club!  I really couldn’t finish the HBO show.  I was bored …. maybe because I knew what was going to happen?  I’m not sure.  I stopped watching after 30 minutes.

I did also start the Margaret Peterson Haddix series “The Missing, Book 1″ that was in one of our 4/5th grade classrooms.  It was great!  A very fast read – I think I finished in a couple of days.  The plot moved along and the kids were interesting characters.  I love the revelation at the end.

Recipe:

What kid doesn’t like chicken or mac & cheese?  This dinner was a hit with kids big and small and will be for yours too!  I just love the Instant Pot and use it to cook almost everything now from roasts, pasta, rice, yogurt, stew, soup and chicken.  I haven’t used my slow cooker in years now unless I need to keep something warm for a pot luck.  I don’t like how chicken dries out and the roasts are still not cooked all of the way by the time I get home.

I do include how to make this without a pressure cooker/instant pot in the Notes section!

**Warning**  If you do use the Instant Pot or pressure cooker for the recipe, please release the vent SLOWLY.  I made the mistake of releasing the valve full blast!!  Pasta water and chicken stuff sprayed everywhere!  But don’t worry!  You can learn from my mistake.  Use a towel or wooden spoon to move the vent halfway slowly and not quick like me 🙂

Chicken Mac and Cheese

 

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: Mary Ellen P. Riley / Whisk Together

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small bite size pieces
• 8 ounces dried elbow macaroni or spiral pasta (I like whole wheat)
• 1 and ½ cups half and half or milk
• 1 Tb. all purpose flour
• 2 tsp. mustard or Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp. dried thyme
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• 1 and ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces) (or use your favorite cheese)

Instructions

1. Add to you instant pot: 6 cups water, chicken and pasta. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. (No pressure cooker/instant pot? Just go to the notes section)
2. Once finished cooking, SLOWLY open the valve HALFWAY. Allow the pressure to slowly release.
3. Pour the chicken and pasta into a colindar.
4. Meanwhile, put the pot back on the stove or insert back into the Instant Pot. Switch it to saute mode and keep it on normal. Add the half and half, flour, mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk together! Allow the mixture to come to a boil and boil to thicken for about 2-3 minutes. Whisk while it boils to keep the bottom from getting too hot!
5. Now, add your pasta, chicken and cheese back into the pot. Stir it all up and eat!
6. Serve warm with a salad, peas, broccoli or any of your favorite veggies!

Notes

No Instant Pot? Fear not! Just cook the pasta and drain. Use the same pot to the saute part of the recipe where you mix the half and half, mustard, etc. Boil and thicken 2-3 minutes. Add the cheese. Stir. Add the pasta. Add in some rotisserie chicken and voila!

Recipe from "The Great Big Pressure Cooker Book" by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough

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