Copycat Applebee’s Honey Pepper Chicken Mac and Cheese
This Copycat Applebee’s Honey Pepper Chicken Mac and Cheese is a delicious and hearty dish that combines pasta, chicken, and a sweet and spicy sauce.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Large pan
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
Pasta and Chicken
- 16 oz spiral noodles
- 25 oz breaded chicken strips
- 5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- Salt
- Pepper
- Basil
Honey Pepper Sauce
- ¾ cup honey
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 3 Tbs low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 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 minced garlic
- Chopped fresh basil
Instructions
Cooking Instructions
- Bake or deep fry chicken strips according to package directions, set aside.
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, mix all your Honey Pepper sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and let cool slightly to thicken.
- To make your cheese sauce melt your butter and cream together in a large pan.
- Once melted, add in your cheese one at a time, stirring after each addition then and garlic and stir until incorporated and everything is melted.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add pasta to pan with sauce and stir to combine, add in your bacon and stir until incorporated.
- Dip each of your chicken strips into the honey pepper sauce until coated and set aside.
- When ready to serve, dish up your pasta and top with chicken strips and sprinkle with basil and additional bacon if desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 1037kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 26gFat: 72gSaturated Fat: 41gCholesterol: 243mgSodium: 1529mgPotassium: 353mgSugar: 67gVitamin A: 2330IUVitamin C: 2.5mgCalcium: 554mgIron: 1.4mg
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