Honey Chicken Mac (Print Version)

Juicy chicken pieces dipped in honey spice glaze over rich three-cheese curly pasta with crunchy bacon bits.

# Ingredients:

→ Main Ingredients

01 - 5 strips of cooked, crumbled bacon
02 - 16 ounces of spiral-shaped pasta
03 - Salt and pepper, as needed
04 - 25 ounces of pre-breaded chicken tenders
05 - Fresh basil leaves for decoration

→ Honey Pepper Sauce

06 - 1/4 cup pineapple juice
07 - Juice from one lemon
08 - 3/4 cup of honey
09 - 1/4 cup of light brown sugar
10 - 1 tablespoon of any vinegar
11 - 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
12 - 3 tablespoons of low-sodium soy sauce
13 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne for a kick

→ Cheese Sauce

14 - 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced finely
15 - 1 full stick of butter
16 - 3/4 cup of shredded colby jack cheese
17 - 2 cups of heavy cream
18 - 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded fresh
19 - 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

# Steps:

01 - Boil your spiral pasta in salted water until it's just tender. Drain it and set it aside for now.
02 - Once the chicken is cooked, dip each strip into the honey pepper sauce so every piece is well coated.
03 - In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Slowly stir in the heavy cream, then add parmesan, mozzarella, and colby jack cheeses. Toss in minced garlic and season lightly with salt and pepper.
04 - Spoon the cheesy pasta onto a plate, top with the saucy chicken strips, and sprinkle some chopped basil or extra bacon on top.
05 - Cook the breaded chicken tenders based on the package instructions by either baking or frying. Leave them to cool for a bit once done.
06 - Mix together honey, sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and vinegar in a saucepan. Simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens up. Let it cool slightly after that.
07 - Stir the drained pasta into the prepared cheese sauce, then mix in the crumbled bacon for extra flavor.

# Notes:

01 - For a gluten-free alternative, use gluten-free pasta and swap the breaded chicken for ones made with almond flour or similar options.

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