Mac and cheese that fits the macros: a creamy cheese sauce built on cream cheese and milk, with chicken, Italian herbs and diced tomato stirred through. One bowl is 43.5g of protein for 424 calories.

Cream cheese plus a little mozzarella gives you the creamy pull without a heavy roux.

Ingredients

  • For the pasta
  • Whole-grain macaroni — 85 g (¾ cup dry) [P 12 C 62 F 3]
  • Salt — for the pasta water
  • For the chicken
  • Chicken breast — 2, ~180 g each raw [P 74 C 0 F 8]
  • Olive oil — ½ tsp (or spray)
  • Salt, pepper, paprika, Italian seasoning — to taste
  • For the cheese mix
  • Fat-free cream cheese — ¼ cup [P 6 C 4 F 0]
  • Low-fat cheese — ¼ cup (mozzarella) [P 9 C 2 F 6]
  • Milk — ¼ cup (1% skim) [P 2 C 3 F 0]
  • Diced tomatoes — ½ cup [P 1 C 4 F 0]
  • Mustard (or Dijon) — 1 tsp
  • Pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning — to taste
  • Dried parsley — 1 tbsp (optional)

Method

  1. Cook the pasta. Boil 7 minutes in salted water; reserve ¼ cup water, then drain and return to the pot.
  2. Cook the chicken. Cube, season with Italian herbs, and pan-cook 8–10 minutes.
  3. Combine. Add the chicken and all the cheese-mix ingredients to the pasta; stir until smooth and cheesy, loosening with pasta water.

What to eat it with

  • A side salad or steamed veg.
  • Light parmesan and chilli flakes on top.
  • Hot sauce — for a kick.

Variations

  • Sun-dried tomatoes: oil-free, in place of fresh.
  • Spicier: chilli flakes and hot sauce.
  • Lower carb: a chickpea or lentil pasta.

Honest notes

  • Fibre: about 4g a serving, from the whole-grain pasta and tomato.
  • Chicken weight: written for ~180g raw breasts — see [Baked Chicken Breast].
  • Macros: reconcile with the per-serving 424 cal / 43.5g protein listed; no correction needed.