Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac N' Cheese

Serves 11
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Directions

  1. 1Cook down some onions in a pan until they start to brown.
  2. 2Add in diced peppers of choice and minced garlic to the pan.
  3. 3Pour over about 16 ounces or two cups of bone broth.
  4. 4Heat the mixture until it boils and is completely reduced.
  5. 5To your slow cooker, add diced chicken breast, turkey bacon, a packet of ranch seasoning, some hot honey, and about one tablespoon of chopped dill.
  6. 6Pour over the pepper and bone broth mixture into the slow cooker.
  7. 7Cook the mixture in the slow cooker on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 3-4 hours.
  8. 8Shred the cooked chicken mixture using tongs.
  9. 9Pour over the blended cheese sauce, which includes cottage cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano, fat-free milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
  10. 10Add some chopped chives to the slow cooker.
  11. 11Pour over half-cooked pasta into the slow cooker.
  12. 12Give it a mix and let it cook for another 10 to 15 minutes to finish cooking the pasta and let the sauce thicken.
  13. 13Add cooked center-cut bacon to the mac and cheese.
  14. 14Give it a final mix.

Ingredients

  • 3 sweet onions
  • 6 jalapeños or fresno chilis
  • 8 cloves minced garlic
  • 16 oz chicken bone broth
  • 32 oz chicken breast
  • 6 slices turkey bacon
  • 1 packet ranch seasoning
  • 30 g hot honey
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
  • garlic powder
  • black pepper
  • chili flakes
  • 800 g 2% cottage cheese
  • 160 g parmigiano reggiano
  • 420 ml fat free milk
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • salt
  • 672 g pasta, cooked to 50%
  • 10 slices centercut bacon

Equipment

panslow cookertongscolander

Tips

  • To determine accurate serving sizes, weigh the empty slow cooker before adding ingredients, then weigh again after cooking, subtract the initial weight to get the total recipe weight, and divide by 11.
  • Store servings frozen and reheat in the microwave with 2-3 tablespoons of milk or water, covered with a paper towel, for 3-4 minutes, mix, then another 1-2 minutes.
  • Blend cottage cheese for 2-3 minutes until completely smooth; heating slightly in the microwave can help.
  • Cook bacon at 400 degrees for 16 minutes or until desired crispiness.
  • Garnish with a handful of chopped chives.
  • Cook pasta for half the time shown on the box for 50% cooked pasta, as required for the recipe.
  • Adjust seasoning to taste for garlic powder, black pepper, and chili flakes.
  • For reheating, add more liquid to reconstitute the sauce or increase creaminess if needed.
  • This recipe is part of a slow cooker meal prep series that aims for high protein, macro-friendly, and low-calorie meals.
  • The recipe makes 11 servings and can be stored frozen, making it convenient for meal prepping.
  • The recipe uses cottage cheese as a base for a high-protein cheese sauce, which is blended for smoothness.
  • The chicken is shredded after cooking in the slow cooker for better texture within the mac and cheese.
  • The dish combines flavors of chicken, bacon, and ranch, with a creamy mac and cheese base.
  • The recipe aims to be a delicious alternative to boring meal preps, offering high protein content with controlled calories and fat.
  • The hot honey adds a unique flavor dimension to the dish.
  • The use of sweet onions, jalapeños or fresno chilis, and minced garlic provides a flavorful base for the chicken and sauce.
  • The process involves cooking down aromatics, simmering bone broth, then combining all ingredients in a slow cooker, and finally adding cooked pasta and bacon for the finished dish.
  • The dish is designed for convenience, being easy to make in a slow cooker and simple to reheat from frozen.