Honey Pepper Mac Chicken (Printable Version)

# What You'll Need:

→ Honey Pepper Chicken

01 - 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
02 - Salt, add as you need
03 - Fresh cracked black pepper, shake on as you like
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1/2 cup honey
06 - 1/4 cup soy sauce
07 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
08 - 1 teaspoon black pepper, ground
09 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
11 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, ground

→ Creamy Macaroni Cheese

12 - 8 ounces macaroni noodles
13 - 2 tablespoons butter
14 - 2 tablespoons flour (all-purpose)
15 - 2 cups whole milk
16 - 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded sharp
17 - 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
18 - Salt, toss in a pinch or two
19 - Cracked pepper, as much as you like
20 - Parsley, chopped up for topping

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Pile those honey pepper chicken strips on top of your scooped-out mac and cheese. Sprinkle plenty of that chopped parsley all over. Grab a fork and dig in while it's still steamy.
02 - Drop your cooked macaroni into the pan of cheesy sauce. Mix around until every bit of noodle is smothered and creamy.
03 - Melt butter in a pan over medium. Dump in your flour and stir until it forms a paste. Pour your milk in a bit at a time, whisking so lumps don’t show up. Let it cook until it thickens, then pull off heat. Throw in both cheeses and stir until smooth. Taste and add extra salt or pepper if you want.
04 - Get a big pot of salted water boiling. Boil the macaroni just until it’s still a little chewy, then drain and set aside.
05 - After the chicken’s done and rested, cut it into strips. Toss the chicken back in the pan with the sticky honey pepper stuff so it gets completely covered.
06 - In that pan, add the honey, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne. Mix it up and cook a few minutes so it starts to thicken a little.
07 - Season your chicken with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a frying pan on medium. Lay in the chicken, letting each side brown up and finish cooking through—about 6 to 7 minutes per side. Once cooked, set the pieces aside to rest for a few minutes.

# Additional Tips:

01 - Make it better with juicy chicken and fancy cheese if you can grab them.
02 - Let the chicken soak in the honey pepper mixture overnight in the fridge for a bigger kick.
03 - Want a twist? Try blue cheese or smoked gouda for a new taste.
04 - Amp up the heat by shaking in more cayenne or a glug of your top hot sauce.
05 - Need gluten free? Use GF pasta and double check your soy sauce.
06 - Tastes best hot, but goes great with crisp cucumber salad on the side.
07 - Leftovers? Warm them up with a splash of milk so they're still creamy—use the microwave or oven, whatever's handy.

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