A Better than Copycat Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe
According to Chick-fil-A’s website, the cheese sauce is a special blend of over many different cheeses ( including Romano, cheddar, American, Montamore, Asiago, and Parmesan).
Prep Time15mins
Cook Time25mins
Total Time40mins
Course: Copycat
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chick fil a mac and cheese recipe, chick-fil-a, copycat recipe, mac and cheese
Servings: 6servings
Calories: 627kcal
Author: Daily DIY Life
Ingredients
16oz.of elbow macaronitypical standard package
¼cupbutter
¼cupof flourskip if you are making a gluten-free version
2cupswater
½cupnonfat dry milk powder
1egg yolk
7-9slicesAmerican cheesetorn or cut into small pieces
1-½cupsgrated cheddar cheeseplus additional cheese for the top layer
½cupgrated of BellaVitano Gold cheeseSubstitute this hard cheese with additional Parmesan if you’re unable to find it at your local grocery store
¼cupgrated of Parmesan cheese
¼cupgrated of Romano cheese
1teaspoonsalt
⅛teaspoonground smoked paprika
Pinchof ground turmeric
Optional Black pepper to taste
Optional Bacon (chopped into bits) to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (This step is optional. Only if you plan on broiling your mac and cheese at the end so you get a cheesy crust will you need your oven.)
Cook your macaroni according to the instructions on the packaging and ADD ten extra minutes to the cook time once it reaches al dente. The reason for the extra time is that it helps over saturate the pasta in order to prevent the pasta from soaking up the cheese sauce.
While the pasta is cooking, start making the cheese sauce by first melting the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add in the flour and then whisk it continuously for approximately 5 minutes over low heat.
In another bowl, add nonfat dry milk powder and the water to this bowl. Then, whisk together until the powder and the water are fully mixed together.
Slowly add this milk mixture into the roux (from Steps 2 and 3), and bring the combined roux to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the liquid thickens.
Place the egg yolk in another small bowl. Add ½ cup of the hot milk blend to the egg yolk. Make sure to whisk the egg yolk to prevent yolk from scrambling. Add a second ½ cup of hot milk. Continue whisking until the mixed ingredients are well combined. Then add the combined egg-milk blend back to the pot.
Remove the pot from the heat and add the combination of cheeses one handful at a time. Start with the American cheese and then add the other grated cheese once the American cheese has fully melted.
If a cheesy crispy top is desired, transfer your mac and cheese into a large baking dish. Cover the top of your mac and cheese with your additional grated cheddar cheese. Bake your mac and cheese for 5 mins. Then top broil the mac and cheese on low so that you can have a delicious crispy top.
Remove your mac and cheese from the oven. Wait until it is cool enough to eat. And serve (add bacon bites if you want) and enjoy!