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Such a very long name for Macaroni and Cheese, but I can’t help it.  This is THE BEST MACARONI AND CHEESE!!!

There’s smoky crisp bacon, roasted hatch green chiles, 3 different kinds of cheese, butter, and pasta – it’s really hard to come up with a quick, succinct, concise name.

Smoky Bacon and Hatch Green Chile Mac and Cheese

green chile bacon mac and cheese

This isn’t your traditional mac and cheese – this is mac and cheese that makes your taste buds stand up and holler HELL YEAH – let’s do this!

Smoky chipotle powder, crisp bacon, sharp cheddar, onions, garlic, hatch green chiles, and crisp smoked bacon.

Doesn’t that picture make you want to dive in? Creamy, smoky, spicy deliciousness

Cast iron skillet mac and cheese

Did I mention that it’s topped with a buttery panko topping that gets baked to create a crisp, golden crust atop the deliciously creamy, spicy goodness that is this smoky bacon, spicy hatch green chile, 3 cheese mac and cheese

Oh – I don’t use just any pasta noodle either – I use Cavatappi because I love the textured swirls and how they allow for the flavor to infuse and blend with every single twisted bit of goodness.

chipotle pepper green chile mac and cheese

This is the perfect dish for your next barbecue, family get together, or just because you feel like making a truly WOW dish.  This works as a side dish, or the main dish, hell – you can eat it as an appetizer if you want.  Just make it!

Spicy Hatch Green Chile, Smoky Bacon, 3 Cheese Grown Up Mac and Cheese

Spicy Hatch Green Chiles, Smoky Chipotle Pepper Powder, Crispy bacon and more combine to make a southwest style mac and cheese that will knock your socks off!
Print Recipe
Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:40 minutes
Total Time:1 hour

Ingredients

Pasta

  • 2 Roasted Hatch Green Chile Peppers how to roast peppers skinned, seeded, and chopped
  • 8 strips bacon cooked
  • 1 medium to large white or yellow onion diced
  • 1 head garlic minced
  • 16 oz Cavatappi

Sauce

  • 6 Tbsp butter - divided 2 Tbsp and 4 Tbsp
  • 7 Tbsp flour
  • 3 Cups milk
  • 2 tsp chipotle pepper powder
  • 1 tsp ground mustard
  • 1 lb 16 oz freshly grated cheese (I use equal parts Extra Sharp Cheddar, White Sharp Cheddar and Pepper Jack)

extra

  • salt and pepper to taste

topping

  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 Cup panko bread crumbs
  • handful of cooked bacon and roasted hatch green chile peppers

Instructions

First

  • Roast the peppers according to instructions, place them in the bag and set them aside to cool
  • Cook bacon
  • READ AND MEASURE OUT ALL INGREDIENTS
  • While the peppers and bacon are cooling, chop and mince the onions and garlic
  • Skin, seed, and chop the pepperss - place about 1/4 cup of the peppers to the side for the topping
  • Chop the bacon, and set a small amount to the side for the topping
  • In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp butter, add in the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to soften and the smell makes your mouth water. Add in the diced peppers and cook a few more minutes
  • While this is cooking start a large pot of water boiling for your pasta
  • Cook the pasta according to the package directions - drain, cover and set to the side

Sauce

  • In a large pot over medium heat, melt the 4 Tbsp butter. Once the butter is melted, slowly start adding in the flour - whisking well with each addition to eliminate any clumps. Once all the flour has been incorporated it's time to slowly add the milk and spices (chipotle powder, ground mustard, pepper and salt) - whisking the entire time. Cook about 8 or 9 minutes, until the sauce thickens, stirring the entire time
  • Once the sauce has thickened, add the cheese a handful at a time and stir until completely melted and the sauce is creamy.
  • Add in the onion, garlic, green chile pepper mixture, bacon and stir until fully incorporated.
  • Pour the pasta into the pot with the sauce and stir to fully coat
  • Preheat the oven to 375° F
  • Pull out your largest oven safe skillet - baking dish or cast iron skillet and pour the 'mac' and cheese mixture into this.

topping

  • melt 1 Tbsp butter in a microwave safe dish, add in 1 C panko and stir to mix.
  • Place this evenly over the pasta mixture and sprinkle the reserved bacon and peppers evenly across the top
  • Place in the oven to bake for 10 - 15 minutes - or until the cheese is bubbly and the top a crispy - gorgeous - golden brown.
  • Serve immediately!
Servings: 1 large skillet
Calories: 577kcal
Author: Rachel

I'm a deep-fried Southern belle, married to a cowboy boot wearin', Harley ridin’ Texan Prince Charming. I am the always proud and frequently exhausted mom to two 8th generation Texans My childhood was spent at my Granny's side learning to cook with cast iron, butter and that special southern ingredient -- love Today, I share my passion for food, family and photography with thousands of monthly readers on my blog, A Southern Fairytale. I love cute boots, my Canon camera, belly laughs with friends, the beach, my family and ellipses..."

34 Comments

    1. There’s just something about Cavatappi, right?! Gotta love comfort food, Gaby 😉 I think we need a bowl of this – a margarita and some of your kahlua cookies!

      Reply

  9. This looks absolutely amazing. I’m a big fan of using different kinds of noodles. So many options, so little time. Chipotle makes my heart happy. Love your photos.

    Reply

  11. There’s a restaurant near me that is all about mac n’ cheese–seriously, it’s in the name! And they have some amazing mac and cheese combos that have now made me want to branch out and try something beyond just plain cheese. Your recipe looks super delicious so will be going to the top of my list!

    Reply

  14. Love the green chiles in there. They go perfectly with the bacon, and I would love this for dinner!

    Reply

  16. This sounds so yummy! I want to make it this week and I have a couple questions…
    -My grocery store often doesn’t have poblanos- could i sub with a red pepperand jalapeno?
    -Not a mustard fan and Ive never used ground mustard – should i halve the amount or its not overpowering?
    -Could I make pasta mixture ahead and then when ready to serve, add topping and bake as directed?
    Thanks in advance!!!

    Reply

    1. Hi Cass!

      * yes you could – poblanos don’t have as much heat as a jalapeno – so that would be spicier. As long as you know your tolerance 😉 They are also known as pasilla peppers – I know some stores call them different things
      * It’s not overpowering at all.. it just adds a bit of depth – you could leave it out or even reduce it – your call
      * Absolutely! If you’re having the pasta and sauce from chilled – I would bake it covered to heat it all the way through and then remove the cover to crisp and bake the topping.

      Enjoy!

      Reply

      1. just wanted to let you know i ended up making this for a party this weekend and it was SO amazingly delicious. i ended up finding poblanos after calling a couple grocery stores so i followed the recipe exactly. i assembled everything thurs night and then on sat night i just reheated through (350 for 30 mins) and then added the topping for 15 more minutes. it was gone in literally 15 minutes! putting it all together did take a little longer than i anticipated (about 1.5 hours total) but it was totally worth it. thanks for the great recipe!!!!

        Reply

        1. I’m SO excited to hear it! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and tell me! Glad that you found the peppers, and that it was a hit! Have a fabulous week, Cass!

          Reply

  17. Hi Rachel,

    One of my customers forwarded me this recipe and we’d love to feature it on the official Hatch Chile facebook page. Would you be OK with that? Also, as a thank you, we’d love to ship you a box of our flame roasted, hand peeled hatch green chile. Feel free to email me at admin@hatch-green-chile.com if you’d like a box. We’ll just need your address and confirmation of what you’d like (medium or hot).

    All The Best,
    Preston Mitchell
    The Hatch Chile Store

    Reply

    1. Hi Subi, Thank you so much! It used to say 1 lb (16 oz) but apparently the theme changeover deleted entire recipes AND messed this up! I will be fixing it. It’s 1 lb (16 oz)

      Reply

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