Copycat Applebee’s Honey Pepper Chicken Mac and Cheese
This Copycat Applebee's Honey Pepper Chicken Mac and Cheese is filled with mac and cheese, chicken, and bacon for an addicting dish.
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- large pan
- baking tray
Ingredients
Pasta and Chicken
- 1 16 oz spiral noodles
- 1 25 oz bag breaded chicken strips
- 5 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- Salt
- Pepper
- Basil
Honey Pepper Sauce
- ¾ cup honey
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 3 Tbs soy sauce low sodium
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- 1 juice of lemon
- 1 Tbs vinegar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Cheese Sauce
- 1 stick butter
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese freshly shredded
- ¾ cup colby jack cheese freshly shredded
- 2-3 cloves minced garlic
- Chopped fresh basil
Instructions
Cooking Instructions
- Bake or deep fry chicken strips according to package directions, set aside.
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Mix all Honey Pepper sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and let cool slightly to thicken.
- Melt butter and cream together in a large pan.
- Once melted, add cheese one at a time, stirring after each addition, then add garlic and stir until incorporated and everything is melted.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add pasta to the pan with sauce, stir to combine, then add bacon and stir until incorporated.
- Dip each chicken strip into the honey pepper sauce until coated and set aside.
- When ready to serve, dish up pasta and top with chicken strips, sprinkle with basil and additional bacon if desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 1037kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 26gFat: 72gSaturated Fat: 41gCholesterol: 243mgSodium: 1529mgPotassium: 353mgSugar: 67gVitamin A: 2330IUVitamin C: 2.5mgCalcium: 554mgIron: 1.4mg
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