Jalapeño Mac N Cheese!

You guys!

This Mac N Cheese recipe is my FAVORITE! Seriously, it is amazing.

When I started cooking I set out to make the best homemade, gourmet mac n cheese from a recipe that I curated. And, I did it!

I have been making this recipe for a little over a year and it is so fun to make and kind of like our guilty pleasure meal.

The jalapeno gives it a little extra something, and I add chicken for some more protein. The cheese sauce is thick and creamy, deliciously flavored and (after a few trials) easy to make!

Jalapeño and the chicken are optional but make the pasta very delicious!

Are you ready for the BEST Mac N Cheese recipe ever?!

Here were go!

Jalapeño Mac N Cheese

Serves: 4-5 people
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35-40 minutes
2 T Unsalted Butter

INGREDIENTS

1 T Arrowroot Powder (or all-purpose flour)
1 Jalapeño, seeded, chopped small (optional)
1/2 Tsp Minced Garlic
8-12 oz of Whole Milk
4 oz Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
4 ounces Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese
2 C of cooked Chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes
16 oz Rotini Pasta
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Black pepper

Here is a fun time-lapsed video of me making the mac n cheese!

NOTES: Please read

* You want to off the heat on the pan because if the milk starts to boil you will have to start all over again. If the milk boils, it will turn lumpy and look like sour milk. However, it is okay for it to lightly simmer.

*The amount of milk poured in will determine how thick the sauce is. Put at least 8 ounces in before deciding. If you want thinner sauce add more milk. If you want a thicker sauce keep it at 8 ounces or less.

DIRECTIONS:

Boil the pasta in lightly salted water until tender. (I suggest starting this first since rotini takes a bit to cook.)
While pasta is cooking, add butter to medium-size saucepan, and melt on medium-low. Once melted add diced jalapeño to the pan and sauté until soft, about 5 -6 minutes.
Once the jalapeño is done, add minced garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then, add the Arrowroot powder/flour and stir until golden, about 1 minute.
OFF HEAT*. Start slowly (and I mean slowwwllyy) pouring the milk in while stirring at the same time. This takes some skill. While some of the milk has been poured you will start to see kind of a thick, mushy paste start to form. This is good! Keep slowly adding the milk until the desired thickness is formed.* See note.
Once the milk sauce has formed, add both kinds of cheese in and stir until it becomes smooth, this will take a lot of stirring. If the sauce is not warm enough to melt the cheese, turn the heat on to medium-low to help melt it.
The yummy sauce is now finished. Place the cooked rotini noodles in a large bowl. Pour the cooked chicken in (if using) and then pour the cheese sauce in and stir.
Then, serve and enjoy!