Copycat Applebee’s Honey Pepper Chicken Mac and Cheese
Enjoy a restaurant favorite at home with this Copycat Applebee’s Honey Pepper Chicken Mac and Cheese, combining mac and cheese, chicken, and bacon in a delicious sauce.
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- Large Pan
- baking dish
Ingredients
Pasta and Chicken
- 16 oz spiral noodles
- 25 oz breaded chicken strips
- 5 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- Salt
- Pepper
- Basil chopped fresh
Honey Pepper Sauce
- ¾ cup honey
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 3 Tbs low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- 1 each lemon juice of
- 1 Tbs vinegar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Cheese Sauce
- 1 stick butter
- 2 cups heavy cream
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese freshly shredded
- ¾ cup colby jack cheese freshly shredded
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
Main Instructions
- Bake or deep fry chicken strips according to package directions, set aside.
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Mix all Honey Pepper sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and let cool slightly to thicken.
- Melt butter and cream together in a large pan.
- Add cheese one at a time, stirring after each addition, then add garlic and stir until incorporated.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add pasta to the pan with sauce and stir to combine, then add in bacon and stir until incorporated.
- Dip chicken strips into honey pepper sauce until coated and set aside.
- Serve pasta topped with chicken strips, sprinkle with basil and additional bacon if desired.
Notes
This recipe is great for a family dinner or a gathering with friends!
Nutrition
Serving: 1plateCalories: 1037kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 26gFat: 72gSaturated Fat: 41gCholesterol: 243mgSodium: 1529mgPotassium: 353mgSugar: 67gVitamin A: 2330IUVitamin C: 2.5mgCalcium: 554mgIron: 1.4mg
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