I’ve had requests to share more of our dinners and meal ideas, so here’s a recent dinner we enjoyed together.
That gooey, melty top says it all: BBQ, chicken, cheese, pasta and caramelized onions make a satisfying combination. For extra texture, I sprinkled panko on top for a crisp finish.
I used smoked cheese in this dish—one of my favorites. Smoked cheeses add a complementary depth to BBQ flavors and enhance the overall savory profile.
To use up a few partial boxes, I combined elbow macaroni, penne and rotini in this casserole. Penne would probably be the best choice if making it again, but mixed shapes worked well. You could also adapt this into individual portions if desired.
My version isn’t a classic mac and cheese. A traditional mac and cheese is rich and creamy; here I kept the cheese sauce light, using skim milk and a small roux. I only added about 1/4 cup of the cheese sauce to bind the casserole—enough to hold it together without making it heavy. You can omit the sauce entirely if you prefer, but it helps keep everything cohesive.
Full disclosure: my husband ate the entire first casserole in one sitting—about ten minutes—so I made a second smaller dish to make sure I got a bite.
BBQ Chicken Pasta Bake
Serves 2-3
Ingredients:
4–5 ounces boneless chicken breast, shredded
3 cups cooked whole wheat pasta
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup skim milk
2 ounces shredded smoked cheese (cheddar, gouda and gruyere blend suggested)
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Prepare the pasta and shred the cooked chicken; set aside.
3. In a small sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add the sliced onion with a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized, about 10 minutes. Toss the shredded chicken with 2 tablespoons of BBQ sauce and set aside.
4. For the light cheese sauce: in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the milk and reduce heat to low. Add about 1 ounce of the shredded cheese and stir until melted and the sauce thickens, 2–3 minutes.
5. In a casserole dish, layer the pasta, BBQ chicken and caramelized onions. Add the cheese sauce a little at a time—about 1–2 tablespoons—mixing through to act as a binder. Finish by topping with the remaining cheese, drizzling the extra BBQ sauce over the top, and sprinkling with panko breadcrumbs.
6. Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes, until bubbly and golden on top.
Yes, he devoured the first casserole, but luckily I’d made a second smaller dish so I didn’t miss out. When I say it serves 2–3, just be warned: if someone particularly hungry is home, it might serve one.