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–+ servings
The finished chicken and mac portioned into meal-prep containers

Honey Garlic Chicken Mac and Cheese

5 from 6 votes
Juicy honey garlic butter chicken over a rich, creamy mac and cheese. A high-protein dinner made for meal prep, it makes four filling containers.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 1311
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
 
 

Chicken Marinade:
  • 3 chicken breasts cubed
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
For Cooking the Chicken:
  • 3 tablespoon avocado oil or oil of choice
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
Mac & Cheese:
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ½ cup freshly grated mozzarella
  • ½ cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
  • 12 oz elbow macaroni cooked al dente
  • 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Equipment

Method
 

  1. Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, combine the cubed chicken with olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika, garlic powder, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Let it marinate for 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
  2. Cook the Chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the marinated chicken. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the butter, honey, and chopped parsley. Let it melt and coat the chicken, then set aside.
  3. Make the Mac & Cheese: In the same skillet, add butter to deglaze the pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden and fragrant. Pour in the heavy cream and let it gently bubble.
  4. Melt the Cheese: Stir in the mozzarella, cheddar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy.
  5. Cook the Pasta: Boil the elbow macaroni according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to prevent overcooking.
  6. Combine: Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and let it simmer on low for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
  7. Serve & Store: Enjoy warm or divide into four airtight containers for meal prep. (Watch Video Below!)

Nutrition

Calories: 1311kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 58gFat: 86gSaturated Fat: 43gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 30gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 298mgSodium: 2835mgPotassium: 1082mgFiber: 4gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 3544IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 304mgIron: 3mg

Notes

How to Store:

Fridge: keep it in airtight containers for up to 4 days, this is what makes it such a good meal prep. Reheat with a splash of milk to bring the creaminess back.
Freezer: freeze the chicken and mac separately for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat on the stove or in the microwave. A couple of readers have frozen it and said it held up great, one tip they shared is to stir a little extra cheese into the mac when reheating.
Marinate the chicken. Even 10 minutes makes a difference, but if you've got 30 or more, the flavor gets even better.
Don't overcook the macaroni. Pull it while it's still al dente, it keeps soaking up the sauce, so slightly firm now means perfect later.
Grate your own cheese. It melts so much smoother than the pre-shredded bags and gives you that silky sauce instead of a grainy one.
 

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