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!
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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