Chick Fil A Mac And Cheese (Copycat Recipe)
This Chick Fil A mac and cheese copycat recipe is a spot on dupe of the classic restaurant side dish. Just like Chick Fil A’s mac and cheese, our version is super creamy and indulgent!
I love hitting the Chick Fil A drive through.
Not only is their system a well oiled machine, but their nuggets, fries, and, of course, the mac and cheese are just so dang good.
Chick Fil A mac and cheese is the ultimate in comfort food.
It’s rich and creamy with the best cheese sauce ever.
And after lots of experimenting, I’ve come up with an at home dupe of the CFA classic.
It tastes exactly like the mac and cheese from Chick Fil A that you know and love right at home.
Ingredients
To make this you’ll need:
- Noodles– Elbow noodles. You could substitute another short pasta but it won’t be as much like Chick Fil A.
- Butter– To make a roux
- Flour– All purpose
- Paprika– Just a pinch
- Milk– You must use whole milk. The sauce will not be nearly as creamy with lower fat milk.
- Egg yolk– To make the sauce extra rich and thick
- Cheese– torn American cheese slices, mild shredded cheddar cheese, and shredded Italian cheese blend
How to Make
This Chick Fil A mac and cheese copycat recipe is pretty easy to make!
To do it, add the pasta to a boiling pot of water and let it cook for 20 minutes, stirring often.
Drain it well.
Melt the butter in a large sauce pan set over medium heat.
Once the butter melts, whisk the flour in to form a paste and let it cook for 60 seconds.
Then whisk the milk in, pouring in one cup at a time.
Add the paprika and whisk until the mixture’s thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
Then, spoon some of the roux into a small bowl and quickly whisk in the egg yolk until it evenly combines.
Whisk the tempered egg mixture into the roux in the skillet.
Turn the heat down to low and stir in the American cheese pieces, half the cheddar cheese, and Italian cheese until the cheese has melted completely and the sauce is smooth.
Stir the pasta and cheese sauce together in a 9×13″ baking dish, until evenly combined.
Spread the mac and cheese out in an even layer in the dish.
Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly out overtop, and broil (watching closely) until cheese is melted and golden brown on top.
Carefully remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Why do I have to cook the pasta for 20 minutes?
While it may sound very strange and even down right wrong, yes, you really need to boil the pasta a full 20 minutes.
Cooked pasta tends to continue soaking up sauce the longer it sits.
Cooking the pasta for so long completely saturates the pasta with the cooking water so it won’t be able to soak up the cheese sauce.
This keeps your mac and cheese ultra creamy.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
Tips and Tricks
- Use whole milk. Do not try and substitute something thinner or your sauce won’t thicken to the right consistency.
- Tempering the egg yolk will prevent it from curdling when added to the roux.
- It helps to let the egg come to room temperature before whisking it into the roux.
Other Copycat Chick Fil A Recipes
This Chick Fil A mac and cheese copycat recipe gives you the velvety, decadent mac and cheese you know and love from the restaurant.
Make it and enjoy!
Looking for other copycat Chick Fil A recipes?
Try these:
If you’ve tried this CHICK FIL A MAC AND CHEESE COPYCAT RECIPE, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Chick Fil A Mac And Cheese (Copycat Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow noodles
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 flour
- 1/8 tsp paprika
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 egg yolk
- 8 slices American cheese torn into pieces
- 16 oz mild shredded cheddar
- 1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook (stirring often) for 20 minutes. Yes, 20 minutes. Drain well.1 lb elbow noodles
- Add the butter to a large sauce pan and set it over medium heat to melt. Once melted whisk the flour in to form a paste and let it cook for 60 seconds.1/4 cup butter, 1/4 flour
- Pour the milk in, one cup at a time, whisking until evenly combined each time. Add the paprika and whisk until the mixture's thickened, about 2-3 minutes.2 cups whole milk, 1/8 tsp paprika
- Transfer some of the roux to a small bowl, add the egg yolk and quickly whisk them together until evenly combined to temper the egg. Whisk the tempered egg mixture int the roux in the skillet.1 egg yolk
- Reduce the heat to low and add the american cheese pieces, half the cheddar cheese, and Italian cheese to the roux. Stir the mixture together until the cheese has melted completely and the sauce is smooth.8 slices American cheese, 16 oz mild shredded cheddar, 1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese
- Add the cooked and drained pasta to a 9×13" baking dish, pour the cheese sauce evenly out over top, and gently stir together until evenly combined. Spread out in an even layer in the dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly out overtop, and broil (watching closely) until cheese is melted and golden brown on top.
- Carefully remove the dish from the oven, let rest for 10 minutes, then serve warm & enjoy!
Notes
- Use whole milk. Do not try and substitute something thinner or your sauce won’t thicken to the right consistency.
- Tempering the egg yolk will prevent it from curdling when added to the roux.
- It helps to let the egg come to room temperature before whisking it into the roux.
Nutrition
recipe adapted from This Silly Girl’s Kitchen
