BBQ Poblano Mac ’n Cheese
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
If you love BBQ and mac 'n cheese, then this is going to be your new favorite dish! Smoky, tangy, sweet, cheesy...it's crazy good!
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Serves: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 chicken breasts, boneless skinless
  • 10 slices of raw bacon (hickory smoked flavor), diced
  • Salt
  • Freshly cracked Black Pepper
  • ½ lb Pasta (I prefer Cavatappi but pick your favorite for mac ’n cheese)
  • 2 Tbsp Butter
  • 2 Tbsp Flour
  • 8 oz Smoked Cheddar Cheese, grated (sharp cheddar will work if you can't find smoked)
  • ¾ cup Almond Milk
  • Jalapeno Tobasco
  • ¼ tsp Chipotle Chili Powder
  • ¼ tsp Smoked Paprika
  • ¼ tsp Ground Mustard
  • Favorite BBQ sauce (about ¼ cup)
Preparation Instructions
  1. Begin by poaching your chicken breasts. Heat a large pot of water ⅔’s full. Once the water is boiling, add the chicken breasts to the pan, cover and remove from the heat. Let the chicken poach in the water for 12-15 minutes or until it’s cooked all the way through.
  2. While the chicken cooks, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then cook 10 strips of bacon your preferred method. I like to use the NuWave oven and cook for 8 minutes, then flip the bacon and cook 2-3 minutes longer until crispy. Let the bacon sit on a paper towel lined plate and then cut into small pieces once its cooled.
  3. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pot and let it cool a bit then dice it into bite-sized pieces. Keep the water and cook your pasta in the chicken water according to your package instructions.
  4. In a pan heat a teaspoon of grapeseed oil over medium heat and add the diced poblano pepper and season with a little salt and pepper. Stir regularly until the pepper is tender and starting to brown. Then set aside the pepper in a bowl until you need it.
  5. Start the cheese sauce by melting the butter over medium heat in the pan you used for the peppers. As the butter melts, combine the flour, salt, pepper, chipotle chili powder, smoked paprika and ground mustard. Then add the dry ingredients to the melted butter. Whisk until the flour is absorbed by the butter and let it cook as you stir for 30-60 seconds.
  6. Pour in a little milk at a time to mix it in so that it doesn’t get lumpy. Once all of the milk is added and the sauce is thick, add the grated cheese. Continue to stir until the cheese melts. If you’re using almond milk, add 5-6 dashes of Jalapeño Tobasco to the sauce to help balance out the sweetness of the milk.
  7. Add the pasta, chicken, bacon, and poblano peppers to a pot or bowl. Then pour the cheese sauce over the top. Stir until it’s full combined.
  8. Grease a baking dish with cooking spray and then add the pasta mixture to the pan. Spread the top so it’s even and drizzle with a little BBQ sauce over the top. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the dish is bubbly. Serve right away and enjoy!
Recipe by Can Cook, Will Travel at https://cancookwilltravel.com/bbq-poblano-mac-n-cheese/