BACON MAC AND CHEESE WITH BREAD CRUMBS RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
• At the same time, cook bacon in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat until it starts to turn golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Add panko and stir well. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk flour into the melted butter and cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add milk slowly, whisking continuously, until sauce is smooth. Bring to a simmer.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Add Gruyere, Cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Stir and cook until cheeses have fully melted, about 3 minutes.
• Add drained pasta and stir until coated. Pour into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle bacon-panko mixture over top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and bubbly, 20 to 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven 350.
• Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sweat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and sweat for 1 minute or until the onions are translucent. Using a wooden spoon stir in the flour until fully incorporated. Slowly add the chicken stock, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to almost low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• While the mixture is simmering heat a sauté pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until it is almost smoking. Add chicken, season with salt and cook until browned on all sides and cooked through. Add chipotle peppers with 2 tbsp adobo and toss to coat. Toss the chicken with the cooked macaroni and put in a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.
• To finish the cheese sauce bring half and half to a gentle simmer and slowly mix in to roux. Add the ranch, cheddar, and 2 tbsp adobo and mix to combine. Season with salt to taste. Add cheese sauce to the baking dish and mix to combine with macaroni and chicken. Sprinkle with bacon bread crumbs and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. (If desired after baking use the broiler to achieve a more brown and crisp top).
• For bacon bread crumbs cook bacon till crispy, allow to cool, and then finely mince. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and toss to mix. Bacon bread crumbs can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.