This Chili Mac and Cheese recipe is a great weeknight meal! It is made in one pot and ready in about 30 minutes! Loaded with pasta, meat, peppers, onions, cheese and seasoning this dish is sure to be a new family favorite.
Chili Mac and Cheese Tips
This Chili Mac and Cheese does not use beans or canned chili. Instead it combines a lot of the components of chili with a delicious and cheesy pasta. Bonus, the leftovers are just as tasty as leftover chili is! Here are some tips to make this recipe a few different ways:
- If you want your chili mac to be spicy go ahead an add more chili powder or try adding in chopped jalapenos or your favorite hot sauce!
- Any shredded cheese can be used in this recipe. We went for Kraft’s Four Cheese Mexican Blend since it melts super well and has a little extra flavor.
- You pick the meat in this recipe. While we chose to use turkey any ground meat will work such as beef or chicken. Use what you have on hand. Or to make it vegetarian add beans in place of the meat!
- Can I add more ingredients to this that I would add to my regular chili? Of course! Beans, corn, other peppers, etc would be great additions. You may need more cheese or seasoning depending on what you add but please feel free to play with this recipe and make it your own! If you try something new please put it in the comments for others to know.
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Looking for more meal ideas? Try our Easy Homemade Pasta Carbonara, Three Bean Turkey Chili, Italian Sausage Orzo, Italian Sausage and Pasta Soup, Forbidden Rice and Beans, Garlic Broccoli Lo Mein, Homemade Macaroni and Cheese, Sweet and Savory Sweet Potato Hash, Lemon Chicken Orzo, Pineapple Pork Fried Rice, Shepherd’s Pie, Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, Black Bean Quinoa Burgers and Big Batch Chicken Meatballs.
Chili Mac and Cheese
This easy one pot Chili Mac and Cheese is a delicious meal that will be ready in about 30 minutes! It is loaded with meat, peppers, onions, seasoning and cheese!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
- 1 pound ground turkey (or beef or chicken)
- 4 cups broth
- 1 pound pasta, any shape (we used elbows)
- 1 cup plain pasta sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 2 cups shredded cheese (the Mexican cheese blend melts great)
Instructions
- Chop pepper, onion, and garlic.
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion and bell pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until they start to soften.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add ground turkey (or beef or chicken) and cook until cooked thoroughly and broken up into little pieces.
- Add broth, pasta, sauce, salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder. Stir well.
- Cover pot, raise heat and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling remove cover and lower heat. Stir often and cook until all liquid is absorbed and pasta is cooked. If necessary, add a little more broth to cook noodles.
- Once noodles are done and broth is absorbed, remove from heat and stir in cilantro and cheese. Stir well to melt the cheese evenly.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
If more heat is desired add more seasoning, hot sauce, or chopped jalapenos..
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1/8 recipeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 466Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 784mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 29g