Description
Chili Mac is a delightful and hearty dish that combines the rich flavors of homemade chili with creamy macaroni and cheese. This one-pot meal is perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or game day gatherings, offering a satisfying blend of textures and tastes. With simple ingredients and easy preparation steps, you can create a comforting dish that pleases everyone at the table. Plus, it’s budget-friendly and great for leftovers!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef (80% lean)
- 1 small onion (diced)
- ½ cup bell pepper (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (diced)
- 1.25 oz chili seasoning mix
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes (undrained)
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 can kidney beans (drained)
- 2 cups macaroni (uncooked)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup milk
- 1.5 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned; drain excess fat.
- Add diced onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the pot and sauté until soft.
- Stir in chili seasoning mix, tomato paste, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and kidney beans; simmer for about 15 minutes.
- In another pot, cook macaroni according to package instructions until al dente; drain well.
- In the same large pot as the chili, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour, then gradually add milk while stirring until thickened.
- Mix in mustard powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, hot sauce, and cheddar cheese until melted smoothly into the sauce.
- Fold in cooked macaroni followed by the chili mixture until well combined.
- Serve warm garnished with fresh parsley.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: One-pot cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 465
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 39g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 85mg