Green Chile Mac and Cheese with Chicken
A Tex-Mex spin on mac and cheese with seasoned chicken breast, high protein and low carb chickpea pasta shells, diced green chiles, and crispy topping.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time25 minutes mins
Total Time35 minutes mins
Course: Healthy Pasta Recipes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Banza mac and cheese, green chile chicken mac and cheese, green chile mac and cheese, low carb mac and cheese
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 325kcal
Author: Mason Woodruff
- 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
- 1 Tbsp 16g Olive Oil
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 8 oz Banza Pasta Shells
- 8 oz Diced Green Chiles
- 1/2 C Milk
- 8 oz Sharp Cheddar finely shredded
Optional Crisp Topping
- 1/4 C 30g Breadcrumbs
- 1 Tbsp 16g Olive Oil
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil before adding the paprika, garlic and onion powder, and cumin.
Cook the chicken in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until fully cooked. Set aside.
Cook the pasta for 4 minutes in the boiling water. Drain the pasta and reduce to a low heat. Add the pasta and 1/2 cup of milk. Gradually add 6 oz of shredded cheddar, folding everything together.
Once the cheese is melted, add the diced green chiles. Gently fold everything together before adding to the skillet with the chicken.
Mix the breadcrumbs and olive oil together and add on top with the remaining 2 oz of cheese. Broil or bake in a 450ºF oven for 6-8 minutes until golden brown.
Without the breadcrumb topping, each serving has 295 calories, 27g of protein, 18g of carbs, and 14g of fat.
Each serving of green chile mac and cheese has 8 WW SmartPoints (blue).
Serving: 6oz | Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 15g