Go Back
+ servings

Creamy Mac and Beer Cheese with Greens and Chicken

Seared Chicken Breast on a Bed of Creamy Mac and Beer Cheese with Bits of Greens Blended Within
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6
Calories 629 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 One Tablespoon Measuring Spoon
  • 1 One Teaspoon Measuring Spoon
  • 1 Grater or Shredder
  • 1 One Cup Measuring Cup
  • 1 Cutting Board
  • 1 Knife
  • 1 Wooden Spatula
  • 1 Salad Spinner (optional but very nice to have)
  • 1 12-15 Inch Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken:

  • 3-4 Skinless Boneless Chicken Breasts Tenderized and Brined - see Beer and Iron How To Tenderize Chicken and How to Brine Chicken Breast.
  • Paprika For Dusting - Smoked or Not

For the Mac:

  • 2 Bunches of Finner Chopped Kale or Spinach De-rib the Kale, Wash, Chop, Have at the Ready
  • 10 Ounces Uncooked Elbow Macaroni Give or Take and Ounce or Two
  • 1 Yellow Onion Chopped
  • 4-8 Cloves Garlic Chopped or Minced
  • 1 9-10 oz Jar of Sun Dried Tomatoes IN OIL IN OIL - SAVE the oil
  • 12 Ounces Beer Separate Out ⅓ - ½ Cup
  • 3 Tablespoons Flour
  • 32 ounce Chicken Broth Separate out 1 cup and reserve the rest - we’ll likely use some but will not use all 32 ounces…usually.
  • 16 Ounces Cream Heavy Cream or Half and Half Cream
  • 2 teaspoons Dried Italian Herbs
  • 1 Cup + Cup Fresh Shredded Mozzarella Cheese A little more is okay
  • 1 Cup + Cup Fresh Shredded Cheddar Cheese A little more is okay
  • Fresh Parsley Chopped
  • Salt and Pepper To Taste

Instructions
 

  • Step 1: Tenderize and start brining your chicken breast.
  • Step 2: Preheat your oven to about 250° Fahrenheit or 100° Celsius. Place a grill pan in the oven. This is where we will place our skillet-ed chicken breasts while we cook our pasta.
  • Step 3: Open the Jar of Sundried Tomatoes. Separate and SAVE THE OIL.
  • Step 4: Chop the Sundried Tomatoes. Using some paper towels, squeeze out much of the oil from the chopped sundried tomatoes.
  • Step 5: Chop the onion and the garlic.
  • Step 6: Prepare the greens. Removed the ribs/spines from the leaves. Chop the kale, spinach, or other green.
  • Step 7: Shred your cheeses.
  • Step 8: Measure out Flour, Italian Herbs, and pepper (to taste). Hold on to the salt for later.
  • Step 9: Remove the chicken breast from the brine and pat dry. Dust the paprika to both sides of the chicken breast.
  • Step 10: Using the oil from the jar of sundried tomatoes over a medium to medium high heat, sear your chicken breasts.
  • Step 11: Remove the chicken from the skillet to an internal temperature of about 120°-130°ish Fahrenheit or 50°-55°ish Celsius. Then place the seared chicken breast in the preheated oven and on the preheated griddle until later.
  • Step 12: After you have seared your chicken breasts, pour off all the oil but about 2 tablespoons.
  • Step 13: Add the chopped onions and the garlic to the hot pan and saute’ them to a nearly translucent appearance.
  • Step 14: Turn the heat down to medium to medium low, add the separated ⅓ to ½ cup of beer to the pan.
  • Step 15: Add the flour and mix about until all the flour is blended in well. It’s going to start to thicken up.
  • Step 16: Add the cream, the remaining amount of beer, the cup of chicken broth, the Italian spices, the chopped sundried tomatoes, and the pepper.
  • Step 17: Add your noodles and mix them in well. Let them cook and add more chicken broth as needed to keep the liquid just so as to create a sauce and not a soup.
  • Step 18: Stir the dish every few minutes to keep an eye on it and to make sure it does not stick. Check the saltiness and add per your taste.
  • Step 19: Once the pasta has cooked to what we call, “Al dente,” or almost cooked, it’s time to add the chopped greens. Mix them in and let them wilt.
  • Step 20: Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and add both cheeses to the pasta and mix in until all the shredded cheese is melted in. You can add chicken broth if things are getting too thick.
  • Step 21: Check the temperature of the chicken. It needs to be at a minimum 165°F / 75°C. Add the cooked chicken on top of the noodles and serve! Add the chopped parsley to really "bring it home."

Notes

I prepare this meal in a 14-inch cast iron skillet. You will need to reduce the amount of ingredients in this recipe if you are using anything less than a 12-inch cast iron skillet (even with a 12-inch cast iron skillet you should expect some spillage before the recipe thickens up). You could use a 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven, a 7-quart, or larger; that would work very nicely.
When you add your chicken to the recipe, you can lay it flat on the top of the cheesy pasta and then flip it over to coat the chicken in the cheese sauce. 
If your pasta is done and ready for the chicken and the chicken is not quite done yet, place the slightly under-done chicken on the top of the pasta and put the whole pan in the oven to finish off.

Nutrition

Serving: 6gCalories: 629kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 19gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 833mgPotassium: 329mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2147IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 333mgIron: 2mg
Keyword beer mac and cheese, cheese, chicken, creamy, Italian Keywords beer cheese chicken Chicken Breast Mac Mac and Cheese macaroni macaroni and cheese Mack and Cheese noodles pasta, Mac and Cheese, macaroni and cheese, noodles
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!