My Best Protein Mac and Cheese
I tested the internet's best protein mac and cheese recipes, including my own, to come up with my ultimate version.
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Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 475kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 pound Ground Chicken
- 2 Tablespoons Ranch Seasoning
- 8 oz Pasta Shells or Elbow Macaroni
- 3 cups Chicken Broth
For the Cheese Sauce
- 1 1/2 cup 330g 2% Cottage Cheese
- 3 oz Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 3 oz Gouda or Gruyere
- 2 Tablespoons Milk or Water
For the Topping
- 6 slices Center Cut Bacon diced
- 1 cup 60g Panko Bread Crumbs
- Parmigiano Reggiano and Freshly Chopped Parsley optional garnish
Instructions
- For the topping, add the diced bacon to a cold skillet over medium heat. Allow the fat to render and the bacon to crisp before transferring to a bowl lined with a paper towel. Add the panko bread crumbs to the same skillet and toast for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Toss the toasted bread crumbs and cooked bacon together and set aside.
- Carefully wipe the skillet clean, deglazing with water if needed, and place the skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the olive oil and once hot, the ground chicken. Brown one side for 3-4 minutes before breaking apart and fully cooking. Add the ranch seasoning, pasta, and chicken broth.
- Cook until the pasta is al dente and the broth has fully cooked off, about 15 minutes.
- While the pasta cooks, add the cheese sauce ingredients to a food processor and blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.
- Once the pasta is al dente and very little to no broth remains, reduce the heat to medium and add the cheese sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is thick and creamy. Turn off the heat, add the topping, and garnish with freshly chopped parsley and grated parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano, if desired.
Video
Notes
If you don't have ranch seasoning, you can season the chicken with a blend of granulated garlic or garlic powder, onion powder, dried herbs, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Or if you have a well stocked spice cabinet, make your own ranch seasoning.
For a cottage cheese substitute, you can try blended ricotta cheese. See my creamy ground turkey pasta for an example.
Nutrition Facts Notes
You can reduce the calories per serving by using a broiled cheese topping instead of the crispy bread crumb topping. Add 2 ounces of shredded cheddar and broil in the oven for 4-6 minutes once the cheese sauce begins to thicken. Compare 460 calories, 18g protein, 51g carbs, and 25g fat in the bread crumb topping to 220 calories, 14g protein, 2g carbs, and 18g fat in 2 ounces of cheddar cheese.
I used 97% lean ground chicken breast.
You can add a bit of protein and fiber to this mac n cheese by using chickpea pasta or a protein pasta. Compare 760 calories, 52g protein, 132g carbs, 20g fiber, and 14g fat in 8 ounces of chickpea pasta (Banza) to 800 calories, 28g protein, 164g carbs, 8g fiber, and 4g fat in 8 ounces of traditional wheat pasta.
The macros do not include any additional parmigiano reggiano.
Nutrition
Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 18g