Tikka Masala Mac and Cheese
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24 INGREDIENTS • 13 STEPS • 55MINS

Tikka Masala Mac and Cheese

Sometimes you just can't decide what comfort food you are craving for dinner. What happens when you combine two of the world's most iconic comfort foods from two very different cuisines? We decided to find out. Meet this amazing spicy, creamy tikka masala mac and cheese. Simple to put together, full of amazing flavors - double the satisfaction.
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Sometimes you just can't decide what comfort food you are craving for dinner. What happens when you combine two of the world's most iconic comfort foods from two very different cuisines? We decided to find out. Meet this amazing spicy, creamy tikka masala mac and cheese. Simple to put together, full of amazing flavors - double the satisfaction.
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55MINS

Total Time

$2.93

Cost Per Serving

Ingredients

Servings
8
us / metric
Chicken Breast
1.5 lb
Chicken Breasts
cut into cubes
Plain Yogurt
1 cup
Plain Yogurt
Ground Cumin
1 tsp
Ground Cumin
Chili Powder
1 tsp
Chili Powder
Salt
to taste
Salt
Ground Black Pepper
to taste
Ground Black Pepper
Elbow Macaroni
1 box
(16 oz)
Elbow Macaroni
Tikka Masala
Butter
1 Tbsp
Butter
Yellow Onion
1/2
Medium Yellow Onion, diced
or White Onion
Garlic
3 cloves
Garlic, minced
Fresh Ginger
1 Tbsp
Grated Fresh Ginger
Garam Masala
1 tsp
Garam Masala
Chili Powder
1 tsp
Chili Powder
Ground Cumin
1 tsp
Ground Cumin
Ground Turmeric
1 tsp
Ground Turmeric
Tomato Purée
2 1/4 cups
Tomato Purée
500 grams
Granulated Sugar
1 tsp
Granulated Sugar
Cheese Sauce
Butter
1/3 cup
Butter
All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup
All-Purpose Flour
Whole Milk
2 1/4 cups
Whole Milk
plus an extra 1/4 cup for thinning the sauce if needed
Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 1/2 cups
Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Gruyère Cheese
1 1/2 cups
Grated Gruyère Cheese
Garnish
Breadcrumbs
1/2 cup
Breadcrumbs
Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup
Grated Cheddar Cheese
or Gruyére
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Author's Notes

If you are looking to amp up boxed mac and cheese you can simply mix in the cheese packet to the tikka masala sauce and then serve it without the baking steps.

Feel free to omit the chicken to make a vegetarian version of this delicious recipe.

Cooking Instructions

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step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
step 2
In a bowl combine Plain Yogurt (1 cup), Ground Cumin (1 tsp), Chili Powder (1 tsp), Salt (to taste), and Ground Black Pepper (to taste). Add in Chicken Breasts (1.5 lb) and coat the chicken in the mixture. Cover and marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to an hour.
step 3
Cook your Elbow Macaroni (1 box) in salted boiling water until just cooked through, a minute before the time on the package. Once pasta is cooked, drain.
step 4
Make Tikka Masala Sauce. Melt the Butter (1 Tbsp) in a large skillet. Cook the Yellow Onion (1/2) until soft, about 4 minutes.
step 5
Add Garlic (3 cloves) and Fresh Ginger (1 Tbsp) and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in the Garam Masala (1 tsp), Chili Powder (1 tsp), Ground Cumin (1 tsp), and Ground Turmeric (1 tsp).
step 6
Pour in the Tomato Purée (2 1/4 cups). Add Granulated Sugar (1 tsp) and season with a pinch of Salt (to taste), and Ground Black Pepper (to taste). Stir and allow the sauce to thicken for 10 minutes.
step 7
Once thickened, add in the chicken and yogurt and allow to simmer while you make the cheese sauce, 8-10 minutes (the chicken will finish cooking in the oven).
step 8
Melt Butter (1/3 cup) in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add All-Purpose Flour (1/2 cup) and stir until mixture turns golden brown, 2-4 minutes.
step 9
Gradually whisk in Whole Milk (2 1/4 cups) and simmer until thickened and smooth, about 4 minutes. If the mixture becomes too thick to stir, add in another 1/4 cup of milk.
step 10
Add Sharp Cheddar Cheese (2 1/2 cups), and Gruyère Cheese (1 1/2 cups) to the milk mixture and stir until melted and smooth.
step 11
Mix in cooked pasta to cheese sauce then gently combine the tikka masala sauce with the cheesy pasta.
step 12
Pour mixture into a wide greased baking dish. Sprinkle on more Cheddar Cheese (1/2 cup) and Breadcrumbs (1/2 cup).
step 13
Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve warm!

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RECIPES TAG

American
Comfort Food
Chicken
Shellfish-Free
Dinner
Indian
Pasta
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