Buffalo Fried Chicken Mac n' Cheese

Pssst: I have a confession to make. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I love playing with my food. Sometimes the result is less than pleasing, but more often I stumble on interesting creations like the Buffalo Fried Chicken Mac n’ Cheese. Fried chicken is iconic. Mac n’ cheese is down-home comfort food. So why not enjoy them together? Just come hungry, as this is a very filling recipe.

Buffalo Fried Chicken Mac n’ Cheese Ingredients

½ pound elbow macaroni
½ stick butter
Flour
1/2 tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp (or more) Cuso’s Smoky Garlic BBQ Rub
Morel mushrooms (optional)
1 cup (or more) heavy cream **
1 cup (or more) of your choice of cheese ***

** You can use half n’ half instead, or even whole milk.

*** Good choices for melty cheese include American, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Gruyère, Provolone, and Fontina.

Buffalo Fried Chicken Mac n’ Cheese Instructions

Cook the macaroni until just past al dente.
Melt the butter in a large enough pan that you can add the macaroni later without it overflowing.
Add Cuso’s Smoky Garlic BBQ Rub and Morel Mushrooms, and give them 7 minutes to cook.
Sprinkle in the onion powder and garlic powder.
Stir everything.
Now, add flour a little at a time to form a rue. Note that for every measure of butter, you need an equal amount of flour. You are looking for a pasty consistency.
Begin stirring in the milk slowly; make sure it integrates before you add more.
Now add your chosen cheese and work with the mix until the cheese is fully melted.

Ingredients – Chicken Breasts

3 boneless chicken breasts per person
4 eggs (alternatively 1 cup buttermilk)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp Smoky paprika
1 tsp Cuso’s Hot Honey BBQ Rub
Buffalo sauce
½ cup flour

Instructions

Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels.
Cut a slice into each of them, so they look like bowls.
Put the flour in a small bowl, adding one-half each of the salt, pepper, paprika, and Cuso’s Honey Rub.
Stir together.
In another bowl, place your eggs (or buttermilk) and the other half of all the spices.
Dredge the chicken breast in the eggs or buttermilk, then dip them in flour. Directly fry them in oil heated to 350 degrees.
Fry until golden brown. You know it’s done when it reaches 165 F.
Place the chicken on a plate, and drizzle with the Buffalo sauce.
Rest for five minutes.
Top with Mac n’ Cheese and stir

PitMaster’s Memo: The Morel of the Story

To identify morsels, they have a rigid cap (looking something like a honeycomb) and a pitted surface. Their interior is hollow.

When you buy Morel Mushrooms, check them carefully. They should be dry and firm. If they’re shriveled and spongy, they’re not fresh. Clean them thoroughly (a pastry brush works).

To use them in this recipe, remove the tough end of the stems. Slice them in halves or quarters. When you cook them in the butter, they will brown and become softer. They must be cooked through before eating them.