Makes 6-9 servings
Ingredients
8 servings tubetti pasta
2 chicken breasts
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese
8 oz monterey jack cheese
2 oz parmesan-regiano cheese
1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 tbsp salted butter
1 tbsp soybean oil
4 oz can chipotles in adobo
1/2 cup half n half
1/2 cup 2% milk
2 tsp teriyaki sauce
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp garlic powder
1 red bell pepper
1 serrano pepper
1 green onion
1/4 white onion
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 small corn tortillas (I use Arizona brand because they are stiff and crisp well)
paprika to taste
kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste
Procedure
Cut chicken breasts in half and pound into cutlets; season well with salt and pepper, as well as paprika to taste.
Cook in cast iron until internal temp. reaches 160F; only flip once.
Place in a bowl and shred well with two forks.
Boil lightly salted water for noodles and cook until al dente.
Preheat oven to 325F.
Dice red pepper, 1/2 a green onion, serrano pepper, 2-4 chipotle peppers, and 1/4 white onion.
Shred cheddar, parmesan, and monterey separately. In a bowl, combine all 8oz of the cheddar with 4oz of the monterey. You should be left with 3 bowls: 12oz of monterey-cheddar, 4oz monterey, and 2oz parmesan-regiano.
Place soybean oil and butter in a saucepan and melt.
Lightly saute bell pepper, 1/2 green onion, serrano, chipotles, and 1/4 white onion in the butter.
Very gradually add flour while stirring to create a clumpy roux.
Mix together half n half with milk, and gradually add to roux until a gravy-like consistency forms. If it becomes to thick add more milk; too thin, add more flour.
Mix in garlic powder, dijon mustard, teriyaki sauce, 2-4 tbsp of adobo, and paprika to taste.
Add half (6oz) of the monterey-cheddar mix from earlier to the roux and melt.
Add noodles and mix well.
Remove from saucepan and layer in a casserole dish; layer in this order from bottom up: 1/2 mac n cheese, 1/4 of the chicken, remaining monterey-cheddar mix, other 1/2 mac n cheese, remaining chicken, 2oz parmesan-regiano, remaining 4oz monterey jack, panko bread crumbs, shredded tortillas.
Bake for 20-30 min until cheese is melted and top is slightly brown.
Let stand for 5-10 minutes and serve.
Enjoy!
