Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli

Eureka! At last! Sweet sweet, blog-ready, macaroni perfection...

Time and time again my mac and cheese has come out too spongy, too dry, too crispy, too flour-y, too... something. We've "suffered" through it with the help of Frank's Red Hot, but we shall suffer no more! Finally I've nailed down a recipe for creamy, gooey, delicious macaroni and cheese, and here it is for your enjoyment :) I'm glad to report that Frank stayed in the cupboard during dinner this evening.

Total Cook Time: 1 hr
Active Cook Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2 small chicken breasts, chopped (I used some that were marinated in barbecue sauce... yummy!)
• 1 glug olive oil
• 2-3 c broccoli florets
• 1/2 of a large white onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 T four
• 1 c chicken stock (fat free, low sodium)
• 3 T unsalted butter
• 2/3 lb elbow macaroni
• 2 c milk
• 2 c finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese (dairy or soy cheese)
• 2 t salt

Directions:

1. Prepare macaroni according to directions on box. In the last 2 minutes of cooking the pasta, drop the broccoli into the boiling water and let it cook with the pasta.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and chicken. Saute 5-7 minutes until chicken is cooked and your whole house smells yummy...
3. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chicken stock and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly. It will thicken over 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the milk to the sauce pan and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the cheddar cheese and remove from heat. It should turn into a nice creamy sauce instantly :) Stir in the salt for taste.
5. Combine the pasta/broccoli, chicken/onions/garlic, and cheese sauce in a large baking dish and bake at 350 F for 25 minutes. (Honestly, you don't have to bake it... but I like the way baking it makes the cheese sauce set up).
6. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.