This is a surprisingly healthy mac and cheese option since it omits the butter usually found in baked mac and cheese.  There is a good amount of cheese in this recipe so there will be a bit more fat from this, but when paired with healthy vegetable options and the lean chicken protein it makes for a healthy dinner option!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups dried multigrain or regular elbow macaroni
• 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 (6.5 oz semisoft cheese (such as harvati, mexican blend, etc)
• 1 2/3 cups fat free or 2% milk
• 1 TBS all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
• 2 cups baby spinach (optional, I wasn’t a huge fan of this)
  • Recommend subsituting red pepper and aspargus instead
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

Cook macaroni according to package directions, drain.

Add olive oil or grapeseed oil to a skillet, heat over medium – high heat. Add chicken, cook 4-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, stirring frequently. Remove chicken and set aside, add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. (If onion browns to quickly, turn down heat to medium).

If adding pepper and asparagus, cook in a separate skillet, or remove the chicken and onion, cook the vegetables and then return onion and chicken to skillet for the next step.

Remove the pan from heat and stir in the semisoft cheese until melted.

In a bowl, whisk together milk and flour until smooth, gradually stir into chicken mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low, gradually stir in cheddar cheese until melted. Add cooked macaroni, cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until heated throughout. Top with tomatoes and any additional garnish such as parsley.

**Adapted from Skinny One Pan Recipes, 2016