Copycat Applebee’s Chicken Mac And Cheese
Craving your beloved restaurant dishes but prefer whipping them up in your own kitchen? Look no further than this Copycat Applebee's Honey Pepper Mac and Cheese—a flawless replica of the original. Loaded with mac and cheese, chicken, and bacon, it's utterly irresistible and bound to become a favorite!
Did you like the recipe?
Click on a star to rate it!
Ingredients
- 400 g 14 oz spiral pasta
- 700 g 24.5 oz breaded chicken strips
- 200 g 7 oz cooked bacon, crumbled
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Dried basil to taste
Honey Pepper Sauce:
- 300 ml 1 ¼ cups honey
- 100 g ½ cup light brown sugar
- 120 ml ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 100 ml ½ cup pineapple juice
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 40 ml 2 ½ tablespoon vinegar
Cheese Sauce:
- 200 g 2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
- 400 g 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 300 g 2 ⅔ cups shredded Colby jack cheese
- 12-18 cloves garlic minced
- Fresh chopped basil
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken strips according to package instructions by baking or deep frying. Set aside.
- Cook the spiral pasta as directed on the package. Drain and set aside.
- For the honey pepper sauce, combine all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and allow to slightly thicken.
- For the cheese sauce, melt the butter and heavy cream together in a large pan over medium heat. Once melted, add the shredded cheeses one at a time, stirring constantly until fully melted and incorporated. Stir in the minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and stir to coat evenly. Fold in the crumbled bacon.
- Dip each chicken strip into the honey pepper sauce to thoroughly coat.
- To serve, portion the mac and cheese onto plates and top with the sauced chicken strips. Garnish with additional crumbled bacon and fresh chopped basil if desired.
Notes
- For a vegetarian option, omit the chicken and bacon. The mac and cheese is delicious on its own!
- Substitute milk for some of the heavy cream to reduce calories and fat.
- Add sautéed veggies like spinach, broccoli, or tomatoes for extra nutrition.
- Use pre-cooked chicken strips or rotisserie chicken for a timesaver.
- The honey pepper sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for quick assembly.
Nutrition
Calories: 1037kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 26gFat: 72gSaturated Fat: 41gCholesterol: 243mgSodium: 1529mgPotassium: 353mgSugar: 67gVitamin A: 2330IUVitamin C: 2.5mgCalcium: 554mgIron: 1.4mg
Did you know....rating and sharing recipes is one of the best ways you can support your favourite food bloggers? If you make this recipe, I would love if you clicked the stars below to leave a rating and/or sharing a photo on social media by tagging @Delishliving or using the hashtag #DelishLiving!