Pepper Jack Mac And Cheese With Chicken
Pepper jack mac and cheese with chicken verde is Tex Mex heaven in a rich creamy casserole. It delivers the same bold, zippy flavors you love in chicken verde enchiladas but with only 6 ingredients, and half the work! It is a must-have family favorite, 30 minute meal!
When life gets hard, my recipes get easier.
And there’s nothing simpler than a solid recipe for a good mac and cheese with chicken.
It is a complete meal in one casserole.
Protein, carbs, and a creamy cheese sauce.
Even better, this pepper jack mac and cheese is quick and easy, making it perfect for busy nights or for last minute meals.
This requires only 6, SIX, ingredients, and from start to finish is on your table and being plated in 30 minutes flat.
Ingredients
To make this you’ll need:
- Chicken– Make your life easy and use chopped rotisserie chicken
- Noodles– Elbow mac or another short tubular pasta like penne.
- Enchilada sauce– Your favorite brand of green enchilada sauce
- Chiles– A can of chopped green ones. You can normally find this by the Mexican section in the grocery store.
- Sour cream– Full fat is best
- Cheese– Shredded pepper jack is a must for pepper jack mac!
How to Make
This is such an easy chicken mac and cheese casserole!
To make it, cook the pasta to al dente, according to the package instructions.
Immediately drain the pasta and run under cold water to stop cooking.
Then, stir the the chicken, enchilada sauce, and chiles together in a large skillet over medium heat.
Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes.
Remove the skillet from heat, and stir in the sour cream until evenly combined followed by half the cheese.
Keep stirring just until the mixture is smooth and the cheese is melted.
Lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
Pour the noodles into the prepared dish.
Then, add the chicken mixture evenly out over top and use a spatula to stir it all together and spread it out evenly.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly out overtop.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until the cheese has begun to turn golden brown.
Remove from the oven, and let the casserole rest for 2 minutes before serving.
Serve and enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat in the microwave or in the oven until warmed through.
Tips and Tricks
- Want it spicy? Add a can of diced jalapenos or use spicy enchilada sauce.
- You could substitute half of the pepper jack cheese for cheddar if you’d like.
- Don’t skip letting the mac and cheese rest. It helps the casserole stay together.
Other Chicken Mac and Cheese Recipes
Pepper jack mac and cheese with chicken verde is a zesty casserole that is perfect for busy weeknights!
Make it and enjoy!
Looking for other chicken mac and cheese recipes?
Try these:
- Baked Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
- Three Cheese Chicken & Rotini Pasta Casserole
- Tuscan Chicken Mac & Cheese
If you’ve tried this PEPPER JACK MAC AND CHEESE WITH CHICKEN, or any other recipe on my 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!
Chicken Verde Pepper Jack Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
- 2 cups elbow macaroni noodles
- 1 10 oz can green enchilada sauce
- 1 4 oz can chopped green chiles
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 8 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Cook the pasta to al dente, according to the package instructions. Immediately drain and run under cold water to stop cooking.
- To a large skillet, add the chicken, enchilada sauce, and chiles. Stir everything together until evenly combined and bring the mixture to a simmer. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from heat, and stir in the sour cream until evenly combined. Stir in half the cheese, just until completely melted and the mixture's smooth.
- Lightly spray a 9x13 baking dish with non stick cooking spray. Pour the chicken mixture into the prepared dish. Add the chicken mixture evenly out over top and use a spatula to stir it all together and spread it out evenly.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly out overtop. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until the cheese has begun to turn golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, and let the casserole rest for 2 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Want it spicy? Add a can of diced jalapenos or use spicy enchilada sauce.
- You could substitute half of the pepper jack cheese for cheddar if you'd like.
- Don't skip letting the mac and cheese rest. It helps the casserole stay together.
Nutrition
recipe adapted from The How To Mom
I made this for my kids and they loved it! Leftovers were great for lunch too!
You’re so right, this dish reheats very well. With my crew though there are hardly any ever left for my lunch the next day, lol.
I have never made this form of chicken and jack mack cheese at home. But I am so inspired to give it a try.
You’re gonna be so glad you did, Seren :)
I made this in my instant pot with a couple cups of chicken broth to cook the pasta, 2 raw chicken breasts & I subbed heavy cream for sour cream. I also used 1/2 Colby Jack & 1/2 Pepper Jack. I put all ingredients except the cheeses into the instant pot for 8 mins, then shredded the chicken & stirred in the cheeses & garnished with green onion. It was delicious!!!