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$5 Dinners | Budget Recipes, Meal Plans, Freezer Meals

Budget Recipes, Meal Plans, Freezer Meals and Cooking Tutorials for the Busy Home Chef

Deck the Freezer in 2025!

Chicken & Ranch Mac n Cheese

September 20, 2017 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom Leave a Comment

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Chicken & Ranch Mac n Cheese Recipe

How ’bout we just call this what it is?!?

Crack Mac n Cheese.

Like, you’re gonna be addicted.

Consider yourself warned.

This is SO SO SO SO Delicious!

It’s a homemade cheese sauce with all the best dairy combined with Ranch to make the creamiest, tastiest cheese to toss with the mac.

Mac n Cheese.

Mac and Cheese.

Mac in Cheese.

(Because the mac mixes so beautifully in the cheese.)

Chicken & Ranch Mac n Cheese Recipe

Here’s the quick breakdown for ya…

  1. Cook the pasta.
  2. Make the cheese sauce in a skillet, then toss in the rotisserie chicken.
  3. Combine and add to baking dish, then top with more cheese, breadcrumbs and cheese.
  4. Did someone say cheese?!?
  5. Bake and serve!

Also, rotisserie chickens are very convenient as you can just pull off the meat and be on your way to getting dinner ready. BUT…they are more expensive that ‘making your own rotisserie chicken.’ So, here are some helpful tips for you for both of these options:

  • Budget Friendly DIY Rotisserie Chicken 
  • How to Pull Chicken from Rotisserie Chicken

Hope you enjoy this amazing homemade mac n-and-in cheese!

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Chicken & Ranch Mac n Cheese

It's a homemade cheese sauce with all the best dairy combined with Ranch to make the creamiest, tastiest cheese to toss with the mac.
Prep Time15 minutes minutes
Cook Time30 minutes minutes
Servings - 4 servings

Ingredients 

  • 12 oz. box elbow pasta noodles
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 packet Ranch dressing mix
  • 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Fresh veggies, as side dish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Cook the pasta, al dente. Drain and pour into baking dish.
  • In a large saucepan, whisk together the milk, butter, sour cream, Ranch dressing mix and shredded cheese. Once cheese sauce thickens, stir in the shredded chicken. Pour the cheese-chicken mixture over the pasta in the baking dish and toss gently. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese over the top.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until breadcrumbs golden on top.
  • Prepare veggies.
  • Serve Homemade Chicken & Ranch Macaroni with veggies.
  • To Freeze: Prepare the macaroni and cheese sauce and combine together into disposable baking tray. Add shredded cheese, breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and freeze up to 6 months in fridge freezer and 12 months in deep freezer. To cook, thaw completely and bake as directed.

Chicken & Ranch Mac n Cheese Recipe

 

This recipe is featured on SouthernPlate.com’s Meal Plan Monday #81.

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Filed Under: Budget Friendly Recipes, Chicken Recipes, Pasta Recipes

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