One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
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Two favorite comfort foods come together in this super easy, 30 min one-pot meal that the whole family will go crazy for!
So after 2 long months of waiting and waiting, I finally brought our new puppy home today. Here is the newest member of the Damn Delicious family – Butters, our 10-week old Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
It’s been a very long day as I sit by hyperventilating each time he whines, but apparently that’s quite normal in the puppy world. So forgive me for today’s short post!
So about this mac and cheese. Now it’s definitely not your ordinary mac and cheese. It’s mac and cheese combined with a super easy homemade chili using pantry ingredients, combining two of your favorite kind of comfort foods in a single one pot meal. It’s quick, easy and sure to be a hit with the entire family. You can’t beat that!
One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- ¾ cup canned white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 10 ounces elbow macaroni
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ground beef and onion, and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat.
- Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, chili powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Stir in pasta. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through, about 13-15 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Top with cheese and cover until melted, about 2 minutes.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
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I cut the broth to just one cup and cooked the macaroni separately to al dente. I increased the chili powder by a few sprinkles. Topped with Parmesan cheese too.
Sooooo good! We added a bit more chili powder and cumin. I used cavatappi noodles. Delish!!!
I doubled this recipe but still wish it had more meat. Used a little bit less broth as it was too “soupy” and not chili like. Expect a soup more or less. Cooked my macaroni separately for 5-6 min. and added to our bowls before pouring the soup over it. I also added chipotle chili powder for spice. The soup was simple but we both really enjoyed it!
This was so good! Thank you. I will definitely make it again.
I make this all the time. We love it!!! So simple and so delicious.
It really is damn delicious. Only thing I would suggest is undercooking the noodles and letting them absorb the broth off heat for about 10-15 minutes so they don’t become too soggy. Oh, and definitely a whole lb of ground beef. Knock out recipe!
I made this and followed the recipe exactly. The pasta got soggy. Too much liquid and not enough spices. I would make it again and cook the pasta separately and add more spices to it.
Delicious! I’ve made it several times now. Since I eat leftovers all week long I do not cook the pasta with the chili. I add cooked pasta to the bowl when I reheat the chili for lunch at work. I have also frozen this recipe without the pasta and it works beautifully -when ready to eat thaw the chili then cook the amount of pasta you need and add it as you reheat the chili.
Not as mac n cheesy as I had hoped. More like a soup, like a pasta fagioli. Maybe use half the broth to get it more like a chili consistency. But it was totally easy, totally edible. I added 2 diced jalapenos and tossed them in, with a dollop of creme fraiche in each serving. Tasted great; my dining partner loved it. I like the ideas in other comments to add more beef. I have a ton left over, but worry the pasta will be limp tomorrow.
Damn delicious! I added two beef bouillon cubes and used an entire pound of ground beef and it was perfect. Great meal for a crisp fall night.
So I’ve made this many times. We love it. I add 1lb ground beef and 16oz Mac noodles. I omit the beans because I love beans but they don’t love me. I add 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper just for a minor kick. We top it off with sliced avacado and sour cream at the end. Delicious!
Loved it instead of seasoning I just used a pk of chili seasoning. A defiant redu
I had the one pot meal recently and it was delicious! I am making this for a large group while traveling in a small RV. I need to cook in a crock pot. ( I can brown meat, onions, garlic on cooktop) Has anyone done this and can recommend how long to cook so noodles are done but not mushy?
So easy to make and both my husband and I love it. He always looks forward to taking leftovers for lunch.
My family liked this meal. I used black beans and northern beans because that was what I had. I had two cups of cheese on top, but after eating the meal, my family decided we needed to mix in more of the cheese as well. We will be keeping this one!
I just made a double batch of this. I didn’t have diced tomatoes so I used 2 cans of tomato sauce. Comfort in a bowl. Thanks for the recipe!
This was fantastic! I hate when people say, “this was so good” but have changed nearly all the ingredients, but I did make just a few adjustments based on what my pantry had available. I used 1lb ground beef instead of 8oz, a 14.5oz can or pinto beans, a 14.5oz can of navy beans, and 1tsp each of salt and pepper. Everything else the same. Huge hit and we will totally make again!
This was really quick to make and delicious! It will b we in the rotation for sure! Will have to make a good loaf of crusty bread next time too.
This has become a family favorite! My kids love it and my husband and I think it’s delicious. Made it just like the recipe says, but used the whole box of elbows and so added a little more broth. So, so good!!
I’m just curious – why kosher salt specifically? And not “plain” salt? Asking as kosher salt is hard to find in Europe.
It was good the day I cooked it. I would recommend it; however, it wasn’t nearly as good reheated the next day.
Decided to make this tonight and it was delicious. Instead of adding the cheddar directly to the pot I made a roux so the cheese would be creamy like traditional Mac n cheese!
OMG! So delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe. My husband ate 2 gigantic bowls and said thank you for supper 3 times, lol.
We liked this but ignored some of the amounts and went with the spirit of the recipe. I used 1 lb of ground beef, a full can of white beans, drained & rinsed, and 1 can chili beans with gravy since I was out of kidney beans. (I don’t need a bit of unused beans in the fridge) I used I can of Rotel tomatoes and a cup of fresh chopped. By the way, 10 oz of macaroni is just a bit less than 3 cups in case you buy in bulk. This recipe makes quite a bit and kept well in the fridge for 2 days. Don’t be afraid to customize if your ingredients don’t match perfectly. The onion and spice ratios are very nice.
This is DELICIOUS, we love it!!!!
Do you drain the tomatoes?
Great dinner option. Made it tonight. Family loved it. I used 16oz of ground Turkey and 8oz sour cream based on another review. I also decreased broth to 3 cups so it wouldn’t be too soupy. Delicious!
Just got a Dutch Oven and this is the first recipe I tried. Sooo yummy! My husband loved it. Will be making again!
It’s a wonderful and easy dish that’s hits every single time. The question I have have you tried slow cooking the chili Mac and roni can be all place it in a slow cooker.
Easy and delicious! Had all the ingredients to make tacos, but switched to this at the last minute due to easy-ness. I tasted after it cooked and increased the spices just a bit. Was great! An easy meal for a cold night!
This was so delicious and easy to make! I used 16 oz of ground beef bc I knew the other 8oz. would’ve gone to waste in my freezer. Seems like just the right amount of meat to broth and beans ratio. I will definitely make it again!
Super easy and delicious. Thank you for the recipe! 🙂
Quite good and definitely easy! Is 8 oz the right quantity of ground beef? Looks more like a pound (16 oz) in the video but maybe it’s kept to half a pound due to serving size for only 4.
My family loved this dish! Used black beans instead of kidney beans, added a packet of Williams chili seasoning to add in more flavor. Had to use brown rice elbow pasta since hubby is GF and used Gardein crumbles instead of ground beef!! Oh and used close to two cups of cheddar cheese instead of 3/4 cup. It’s a fantastic meal!!
First time making this, so good! Hubby loved it as much as I did. Saved so I’ll remember to make it again. Thank you for sharing.
Wow, loved this recipe! Would not change a thing.
This is so good! I doubled and used around 2 cups extra chicken broth plus more macaroni, fire roasted diced tomatoes and added a block of cream cheese at the end. SO YUMMY! Thanks for the recipe!
Had to adjust due to ingredients on hand. Use home made bone broth, fun Halloween shape noodles, used regular ground sausage, added a bit of cream cheese, only had black beans and used Rotel and corn. Very good. Very easy pot meal. Maybe one day I’ll make it the recipe way
I’ve probably made this recipe 20 times, and we love it every time! Not only is it super flavorful, but it’s also super easy to whip up for weeknight dinners and to double to feed a crowd. It also makes a great meal to warm you up and fill your belly as it’s comforting yet hearty. And don’t forget how kid friendly it is, too!
Love this! I added more pasta and a bit more water, put it in my instant pot for 5 minutes. Next time I’ll try 3 min with elbow macaroni. Finished it with cilantro!
Very good! I have been making this for several years and we love it! I probably need to double it because we never end up with very much for leftovers and lunches. Making this again tonight!
Delicious! Perfect quick one pot dinner to throw together after work! Husband loved it and my childish palate approved!!!!
This was delicious! We used chickpea pasta for extra protein and it was yummy! We will make this again!
Outstanding ! Thanks for this recipe !
I used 1 lb ground turkey rather than ground beef and 4 tbsp better than bouillon chicken flavor with 4 cups of water. Used fire roasted diced tomatoes and an 8 oz packet of Mexican 4 cheese blend. Consider the use of high protein elbow macaroni to increase nutritional content. Delicious !
I love this recipe! The cumin, chile and tomatoes combined with the chicken broth (I used Better than Boullion) make a delicious broth which I like SO MUCH that I will use less pasta next time ( I have a 16 ounce bag of macaroni so I’ll use half the bag and save the other half for another dish). The textures make this dish so comforting. If you don’t add cheese it will still be amazing! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Good, but you really need to keep some liquid in there to keep the flavor with each bite. If you eat it without any juice it’s quite bland tasting.
Made this last night and it was a HIT! Kids loved it and hubby took all the leftovers to work. Will be adding this to our favorites!
Your site is our “go to first” when looking for receipes! It’s a cold winter night in Delaware, and this comfort food is just what was needed! We made it vegetarian by using impossible burger instead of hamburg, and vegetable broth. It was really, really good! Thank you!
Really easy to make and modified to our taste. I had a small chunk of velveeta left in the fridge and added about 1/4 c sour cream to make it creamier. Will definitely make this again! Great for a cold winter day..
Thank you!
Perfect family meal for the winter. I did add 1 tbsp of tomato paste and 1/2 tsp of oregano.
Just made this, had to make it earlier in the day due to our schedule. It now is nothing but ground beef and noodles, I haven’t added the cheese yet. Not serving it right away it lost all of it’s “soupiness” and their is no broth. Anybody have this happen??
Pasta will continue to soak up the broth and become mushy. If you’re making it ahead of time or making a large batch to freeze, add the pasta when you reheat to serve it.
I know may family won’t eat all of this before it goes bad, so before I add the noodles I’ll divide out what we are going to eat into a separate pan and only add noodles to that. The original pot, without noodles, I’ll let cool and portion it out for the freezer. I hope that makes sense.
Excellent recipe – substitute high protein elbow macaroni and ground turkey rather than beef to reduce the calories, fat and carbohydrate content. Add salsa to improve the flavor.
Excellent!! Quick easy and tasty.
This is one of my favorite dishes, especially in the winter. I add a bit more cheese but it’s just so good!!
Came out delicious and it was super easy to make and quick! I added some cream cheese to mine to make the broth a little creamy! It was yummy!
This was delicious!! My whole family rated this 5 stars. My kids were fighting on who was taking what little left overs we had for lunch the next day. Thank you for such a great simple recipe! This one is a keeper!!
make it more like Mac and cheese. I added a small container of heavy cream, only about 3 cups broth, more Mexican mix cheese, one pound hamburger, extra seasoning and instead of all plain diced tomatoes, I added a can of the Rotel tomatoes. Those complaining it’s too bland or runny ….Do you test your food before you serve it? Simple recipe that can easily be adjusted, even at the end.
I’ve made the several times. It’s so easy to make and both my husband and I love it. He’s always happy having leftovers to take for work.
This recipe is fabulous! Everyone in my family just loves it!
Dear Chungah,
I just made your recipe for one pot chili Mac and cheese. It was in fact damn delicious! Thank you, so happy I found you. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes. It was the first recipe of yours I made but will not be the last. Your recipes are fun and easy to follow. I love it, my husband loves it too!
This chili recipe has been my go-to for years. It’s easy to make and always comes out great! Sometimes when I am feeling extra hungry, like after a workout or something, I will put in some brown rice noodles rather than spaghetti pasta.
Other times if the mood strikes me as being low carb (or sugar free), then leave them out altogether and enjoy this delicious dish without carbs but still with all of its flavor intact! How do you calculate nutritional value?
I made this years and years ago but I made the chili with a box of augratin potatoes. It was awesome! Try it. I will try it with the macaroni too
Love this recipe! This is my go-to chili recipe! I have altered it a few times depending on my taste buds (like less onion, more garlic and cumin, and adding hot sauce) and it comes out great! Sometimes I leave out the noodles for a low carb chili. How do I figure the nutritional value without the noodles?
i am surprised at how much i liked this. i found the recipe when searching for different types of mac and cheese–this recipe does not resemble mac and cheese in any way so i kept in in the back of my mind for another day when i was craving something more like chili, which is really what this recipe is. chili with some noodles added (cheese topping is mandatory for all chili!). i followed the recipe exactly except i used a little less pasta, as i like a nice broth. and it is delicious! we all had seconds and some thirds. i will make a gain, though i will call it ‘Brothy chili with noodles’!
This was easy to make with typical pantry items. Tasty and fulfilling on a chilly spring evening.
It was easy to make and enjoyed by my whole family.
I made this recipe and it was damn delicious! =) If I wanted to make it cheesier, could I add cheese soup to the recipe? Or do you have a recommendation for that?
This is SUPER good and easy! I made it in the instant pot and just keep the pasta on the side so it doesn’t get mushy and mix it in when ready to eat the soup part! Helps with tracking on WW too. SO good exactly as written!
As a retired head chef from NYC, I have to say that my wife and I absolutely love this recipe. The only thing that I’ve done differently is that I use Better Than Bullion Beef Base. Thanks for yet another wonderful recipe.
BTW, your puppy is absolutely adorable. Back in the 60’s mom raised Welch Corgis. For a ‘working class’ dog, they’ve got a great temperament; when treated right. My best to you both.
I made this yesterday. I followed the recipe. It was definitely delicious. I will make it again.
Is the pasta cooked or dry when you put in? Thanks!
The pasta is uncooked when you add it in.
So good, I have made it 3 times in a month. Comfort food and healthy. I added more ground beef and more cheese!
We love this recipe!! Even the picky eaters in my house love it!! Thanks for a great recipe!!
I love this recipe! I’ve made it numerous times—-rarely exactly as written. I might be serving a big crowd and will triple it, but only have one can of beans on hand or extra meat or using Rotel and not regular diced tomatoes. The only thing I don’t recommend is using a pasta other than elbow macaroni. Elbow macaroni just makes this silky texture. Don’t shy away from the spices either. Thank you for this highly adaptable recipe!
i just made this for my family if you love chili then you must try this it is amazing i didn’t have fresh onion or garlic i used powder garlic and minced onions and once i dished it out i sprinkled fresh grated mild cheddar on top
had to spruce up the flavor but turned out awesome, but the pasta was WAY too overdone for my liking. also had to had to add red pepper flakes. great flavor, but wouldn’t make again. maybe if the pasta was served on the side.
Can you freeze this?
Very good. Used a can of Rotel as I did not have any diced tomatoes. Other than that followed exactly. Will make again. Thanks for the recipe!
Rotel is soooo good with this!
I have made this recipe dozens of times, it’s quick to make and my family loves it, they always go back for seconds. I follow the recipe exactly except I use 2 cups of broth.
Cooked for dinner tonight and my we couldn’t stop eating it!!!! Loved it so much that we’ll definitely be having it for the next few meals! I stuck the pan in the broiler to melt the cheese on the top at the every end and it turned out great!
Is there a way I could use already made, left over, chili to make this?
This is a great base! I used a low sodium broth, added about a tablespoon of knorrs caldo de tomate. Because I like my chili mac Hearty… I also added 1 Jalapeno, a small can of diced chiles, 4 oz of velveeta cheese, and one can of creamed corn (this adds some sweetness). I didn’t have elbow macaroni, so I used ~16 oz of penne pasta. I added salt to taste. When serving, I topped it off with some green onions, and super small diced red onion.
Oh! I also added a green bell pepper!
Response to Angel. So you seriously changed the whole recipe. I think that’s insulting to the person who posted it originally. Why don’t you post your own recipe.?
Love this! It’s a family fave.
Love this recipe! I have made it several times and it is always a crowd pleaser.
This was very straight forward, easy and fairly quick! As far as the white kidney beans here, well I used what I had on hand, which were, Northern beans.
My chili was a bit watery, so I put a heaping tablespoon of corn starch in a bit of water, mixed it thoroughly and then added to the pot. Brought to a quick boil, then simmered, turned off added cheese. This was a very good, flavored lovely chili. I could have used more chili powder but just a bit more. Very good indeed. I will recommend this dish to family, Thank you for sharing damn delicious one pot chili mac n cheese!
Another 5 star meal from Damn Delicious. Everyone loved it, it’s definitely going into my favorites rotation. As with a lot of my ground meat recipes I made it with half ground turkey and half ground beef (unless my daughter is here, then its all ground turkey). I didn’t have any fresh parsley so I tried cilantro instead, which made it so ultra delicious. Thank you for another wonderful recipe
This has become a family favourite and I have been making this recipe for several years now. I usually add a bit of extra pasta and less chilli powder for the kids. The flavours are amazing!
I had taken out ground beef, but was tired of making the same old thing. So I went to the internet in search of something different and boy am I glad I did! This was absolutely delicious and will be saving this recipe to make again soon! The only thing I did differently is leave out the cumin, but that was because I didn’t have any in the pantry. Thanks for this recipe!!
I did not change the recipe much at all except I usually just consolidate the kidney beans to just one can. but it’s basically the same thing and it is a great meal. It has replaced my other two chili mac recipes because this one tastes better.
Excellent one-pot meal a keeper to my collection. Thanks. Made more than I needed how can I freeze the left-over for a later date?
It’s a cold and rainy day in NYC today and this looks perfect to go with a movie. I’m making this exactly as directed. Can’t wait. Do we get to cuddle with Butters? Adorable.
I’ve tried many of your recipes. They are all good, but this remains one of my favorites! YUMMMY!
This was delicious! My boyfriend and I like to limit our red meat intake so we tried this with Beyond Meat crumbles instead and it was so good! Very easy to make – I’ll definitely be adding this recipe to the books.
I have been making this for a couple of years now. I absolutely LOVE it & it is incredibly easy to put together. I double the recipe every time so I have it all week long. Cumin is one of my favorite flavors! I go heavy on the cumin & chili powder, and sometimes add a touch of cayenne. I love adding in the fresh parsley. This recipe will remain in my usual rotation of meals for sure! Thanks for sharing the recipe & pictures of your cute corgi!
We’ve tried this recipe tonight. It was delicious and easy to make. Your recipes are always at height of my expectations. Thank you for sharing!
Awesome recipe, you can tweak it many different ways, and it’s fun and good….
I’ve been making this for a couple of years now and my family still loves it. Over time, I have made some minor adjustments by adding double the meat, added a little more garlic and spices to make up for the additional meat but also add just a 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper for some extra heat. Love this recipe especially during the cold months. Highly recommend!
Looks DELICIOUS!!! Can’t wait to try it!!!
THANK YOU…
I loved this dish the first time I made it. I think I loved it more the next day as leftovers. I made cheddar cheese and chive biscuits to go with it.
I love this recipe! Flavorful, and filling! Costs less than $10 to make, too.
4 stars because I added more of the seasonings listed, times about 1 1/2. ❤️
It was good! I had to add about double the chili and cumin. Also threw in paprika. It didn’t taste like anything at first for some reason…
I added mushrooms, and black beans as well with scallions on top. This recipe was a huge hit! They’re calling it a “Do over” Thanks for posting it.
I made this recipe exactly according to the recipe it was delicious and hearty everyone raved
I’ve made this a few times. When I made it last night, I didn’t have chicken broth so I substituted with beef broth. It was perfect! My husband LOVES it. Will definitely make again. Thanks for this great recipe!
So yummy and easy! I doubled the beef and cheese plus added some cayenne pepper and wow! Delicious and quick!!
My family loves this and I love that it is all in one pot. My kids who like chili love that it is a mix of chili and mac and cheese, and my kid who doesn’t like chili, but likes beans likes that it has mac and cheese without the heavy chili texture. I love that they all will eat it. Thanks for the recipe. Also, I use more beef and more broth so I can use up the whole 16oz box of elbow macaroni. Also put full cans of beans in. I think I stay true to your ratios, just increase it a bit so I don’t have leftover macaroni.
How much extra broth do you add to account for a 16 oz. box of macaroni?
Found this very bland. I added green peppers, green chilies, red pepper flakes & an envelope of Lawry’s Chili Seasoning to give it a kick. Also added a much larger amt of sharp cheddar.
Would also be good with jalapenos.
I e made this many times, and my family loves it. In fact, anytime I take requests, this is what my now 17 year old daughter’s first choice! It’s so simple yet comforting. I always double it and serve with a dollop of sour cream and a dash of hot sauce. Yum! Yum!
Can this be frozen after it is made?
Made this recipe for dinner tonight and everyone in my family love it. I didn’t have the diced tomatoes and it still tasted great. Thanks
Awesome! Thanks for sharing.
My family loved it. I tweaked it to make it more like Mac and cheese. I added a small container of heavy cream, only about 3 cups broth, more Mexican mix cheese, one pound hamburger, extra seasoning and instead of all plain diced tomatoes, I added a can of the Rotel tomatoes. Those complaining it’s too bland or runny ….Do you test your food before you serve it? Simple recipe that can easily be adjusted, even at the end.
I made this last night and omg! You are a treasure in my kitchen; I use your recipes frequently!
Disappointed, it didn’t have very much taste to it
Can you switch out the diced tomatoes for crushed tomatoes?
Yes, but the consistency may vary with this substitution.
I trolled online for a quick and different ground beef recipe. It was a cool autumn evening, so chili sounded good, but I craved something with a twist. I started preparing this recipe, only to realize I didn’t have any cheese in the refrigerator. I found a box of emergency mac and cheese in the cupboard and decided to take the risk. It did not disappoint! Thank you for the recipe!
It looked exactly like your pictures and tasted scrumptious. We only made two changes. One was to use pinto beans only and the other was to add pepper flakes for some ooomph. I will be making it again often.
Made this the first time and it was awesome! I did tweak the recipe a bit. Being a Texan, we do know our chili.
I added:
about 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
switched the chicken broth for beef stock
added 2 cans of red kidney beans
added more chili powder and cumin
I also used mini rotini instead of macaroni
Came out great and very flavorful. My 17 yr old son went nuts for it. Its one of his favorite dishes now. He even learned how to make it so he can do so when he gets out on his own.
I recently made this for my family, it’s delicious! I used crushed tomatoes because my boys are picky. I will definitely make this again, it’s simple and super tasty!!!
I made adjustments to suit my family’s taste. I cooked it for 30 minutes before and added 1/2 a pack of chili seasoning, salt,1/2 a block of cream cheese and a can of rotel. I only used a cup of elbow macaroni and it was a perfect ratio. My husband and picky son absolutely loved it. We added a dollop of sour cream. Thanks for sharing, this recipe was easy and will definitely make again
Can the chili mac be prepared in a slow cooker???
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let me know how it turns out! 🙂
I believe if you add the macaroni to the crock pot the last 15 minutes and cook on high it should probably work out
Doubled the meat, a little more pasta, half the broth and twice the crushed tomatoes. Can of black beans. Came out great. Not soupy.
One of my fav weeknight recipes!
Love this recipe! This is more like a chili mac but its great! I usually adjust the noodles to 2 cups and and a full cup of cheese to make it a little more thick. Make all the time 🙂
So glad you loved it!
Very easy recipe made with common ingredients I had laying around! After reading the reviews I decided to cut the liquid in half. Instead of 4 cups of chicken broth, I used 2 cups. This made it thicker, more like a hamburger helper. I also used 1lb of hamburger meat. We loved it!
This was good and a quick meal to make my family. If your expecting creamy Mac and cheese, or thick chili you would probably be let down. It’s more of a soup. But it’s deliteful and flavorful. I added some red pepper flakes for some spice and a squeeze from a slice of lime! It was yummy! My son loved it.
I absolutely love this recipe and have made it several times now. I’m not the best cook, but for the past two years (since I started dating my boyfriend) I’ve been trying to slowly get better and learn new recipes. This recipe tasted so good, but was also simple enough for a novice and not yet confident cook like me to do. Also, I’m a vegetarian and often struggle to find easy meals that my vegetarian self and meat-eating boyfriend can both enjoy while I still get the protein I need. I followed the recipe exactly except I didn’t add any ground meat to it- I split the macaroni mix into two portions at the end and my boyfriend and I added our meat or “meat” to it. It has always turned out amazing and I’m going to be making it for a fourth time tomorrow.
We love this recipe. I’ve been making it for a long time. Thank you!
Oh my gawd I made this as a soup i thought it was a MAC an cheeseburger soup it was so good it was so delish I would try it as a soup also I preboiled the macaroni then finidpshed it in the soup it turned out excellent my fam jam said I was an awesome cook hahaha
Im.using leftover chili I made in the instant pot last night. Adding the cheese and macaroni noodles. If I have leftovers, can I freeze it?
Yes, it freezes pretty well, but I do recommend leaving any dairy out prior to freezing and adding when reheating. But as always, please use your best judgment when freezing and reheating.
Loved this …thank you
This looks tasty and easy. I wonder if it can be frozen in portions.
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
Another lovely “concoction” which I will duplicate. Love the puppy! Keep the good stuff coming!
The recipe for the Chili Mac and Cheese is not showing up in the link – just and FYI!!! ( I want to make it this weekend, so . . .)
Thanks,
Alixe
My apologies. The website is undergoing a system update. The recipes will be available very soon! Thank you so much for your patience.
yes….I almost started crying…i hope to make it this weekend
Wow I just made this recipe and it’s delicious! My fiance said he’d marry me today but of course I couldn’t take credit. Thank you!!
This is AMAZING! My family loved it! It is super filling and there was even leftovers.
Have made it several times… love it!! I use one pound of spicy pork sausage, two onions, and brown it very well. Then the garlic and spices, so every layer is seasoned. I used the Rotel original diced tomatoes with green chilies, and dreamfields macaroni. We love it spicy!
I’ve also made it early in the day without the macaroni, so the flavours can meld, then bring it to a boil and add the pasta. It tends to be thicker that way. Then cilantro instead of parsley just before serving. Yummmmm!
There is nothing better on earth than a 1 pot meal. This was delicious. And I love this blog!! I made two adjustments because I like a heartier flavor to my chili– I start the recipe this way so the meat looks more like chili meat and less like hamburger meat: : Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add 3T tomato paste, 3T chili powder, cumin and and cook, stirring, until the oil is brick-red and the mixture is dry, about 2 minutes. Then I add the onion and then the ground beef. The amount of chili powder in this recipe wasn’t enough so I increased from 1.5 Tsp to 3 Tablespoons.
Thank you, Kate!
I just made this recipe. Is it supposed to be runny?
The consistency should be between a chili soup and macaroni & cheese. Hope that helps, Jill!
This was so easy to make and came together so quickly. My husband and I loved it! Makes 4 heaping portions.
This was quick and delicious as always! 2 1/2 dry macaroni is pretty close to 10 ounces.
I love every recipe that I have tried of yours!
We love everything Damn Delicious but this is one of our all time favorites. Quick and easy to make, I always have the ingredients on hand and my 5 hungry boys devour it!
So, you boil the pasta with the beef? You don’t add the beef to the boiled pasta at the end?
Yes, that is correct.
Except for using rotini instead of elbow macaroni, I followed the recipe exactly. Conclusion . . . meh . . . OK, but not very satisfying. 🙁
Tastes as delicious as it looks! Great quick meal! Even had all the ingredients on hand Thanks for sharing! Family with 3 teenage boys approved! 🙂
So great to hear! Thanks.
I’m so glad I found this recipe–it is delicious! I followed your instructions to the letter–in places against my “experienced cook” judgement, lol–and found it to be perfect. Great consistency, great flavor, hearty, and, since cheese is only sprinkled on at the end, more healthy than many chili mac recipes. Also, great idea cooking the elbows in chicken broth–I seriously would have never thought to do such a thing. For folks who want more kick–add a bit of jalapeño. For folks who want more “soup,” add less pasta. Be careful not overcook!
Thank you for sharing, Annie!
This was delicious. Mine didn’t come out as “soupy” as yours, but was still so good. Maybe I put too much pasta in. I’ll definitely be making this again. Sue
What an easy and quick lunch! I’m from Texas and love meat; therefore, I used a full pound of ground beef. This recipe is ”damn delicious “!
Yum!
Yum! Made it for dinner tonight and it was wonderful! When I make chili, I usually freeze some for later. I’m wondering if freezing this would be successful, because of the pasta. Also, maybe those who are more savvy about these things could answer this question: is there a way to save recipes and make notes on them? I save a lot to the big P, but can’t make notes about them there. Is there a way to do that, or do I just have to sharpen my memory skills? I added some thinly sliced baby carrots tha I needed to use up and it was perfect!
OMG – is there anything cuter than a Corgi puppy??? (The food looks awfully good, too!)
I had this pinned and just found it again and so glad I did. Made it for the first time….my family devoured it. It was so simple and easily adjustable to your own tastes. I added cayenne and served it with hot sauce on the side. I also used tomatoes with peppers. Thank you for sharing this!
What size is your dutch oven? Mine is only two quarts and I wonder if that is big enough or if I should divide the recipe.
I used a 4.5qt Dutch oven.
Absolutely disgusting! I followed the recipe to the T. It is bland and has no flavor whatsoever. Looks amazing, tastes HORRIBLE!
Thank you! I’ve been reading the comments getting frustrated. Mine looked exactly like the picture. My husband will eat anything, and he couldn’t even get it down. It was not good for us.
We made this recipe today, to try our new small Dutch oven. I am a vegetarian so my hubby suggested using black beans instead of ground beef. It turned out delicious! We had to adapt the recipe to accommodate the small pot – but it was very easy to make and came out really tasty! Congrats, this is already one of our favorites, it will also become one of our regular meals! Thank you!
This is the first recipe I’ve cooked from Damn Delicious – Chungah, thank you! It is truly a full, balanced meal in one pot. I have a tiny tiny studio kitchen so I’ve been looking for one-pot meals – this was perfect.
A note for people who have had undue difficulty in measuring 10oz of pasta out without a scale – look at the back of the box and put your math skills to use! I had a 16 oz box that contained eight 1/2 cup servings (dry). This means that each 1/2 cup has 2 oz of pasta in it, so 10oz is equal to 2.5 cups (or five 1/2 cups). DONE.
Absolutely delicious! I cook for five people (a vegetarian, a vegan and three meat eaters) and I was able to easily make the original recipe for the meat eaters and a vegan version for the vegan and vegetarian. They both turned out delicious and if I were to be honest, the vegan version was the best one!
To make vegan:
Substitute the ground beef with Gardein meat crumbles (do not use Morning Star crumbles if you are making vegan,
Morning Star’s crumbles are NOT vegan!
Instead of chicken broth, you can use Vegetable broth.
Substitute Cheddar cheese with vegan cheddar shreds.
For both dishes I used sour cream for the meat one and Vegan sour cream for the vegan one.
If you are like me, cooking to feed multiple food eaters, this is a very easy recipe to accommodate everyone.
This really is a fabulous recipe that I use all the time! I add thinly sliced carrots and celery for extra veggies and cook them with the meat and onions. Going to make it again tonight using tortellini instead of elbows.
This has been a HUGE hit with my family (including picky three-year-old twins). I’ve probably made it half a dozen times now, but tonight I made a couple of variations (having limited ingredients, otherwise I wouldn’t mess with perfection). I used about a pound of chicken pulled off the bone, only one can of beans, some velveeta, rotel in place of the tomatoes, and taco seasoning in place of the spices. It tastes like a mix between white chicken chili and macaroni and cheese. YUM.
I made this with a few alterations tonight and we loved it, 3 year old included, he had seconds even!
I used two full cans of red kidney beans (I didn’t have white, and didn’t want to use partial cans).
I used a full pound of ground beef
I only used 8 oz. of pasta
I added 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
This will be added into our regular rotation, thank you for the wonderful recipes!
Amazing recipe! We LOVED it! Thanks so much for sharing!!!!
Just had to comment on this ! So so good! I added lots of veggies, as I would in my chili (celery, carrots , mushrooms and corn). NOW FOR THE AMAZING INGREDIENT. Then I realized I was out of macaroni! Searched the cupboard and found a box of Annie’s mac n cheese (like KD). So I added the noodles from the box. Then I looked at the dried cheese packet, and thought, “what the heck, it is chili-mac-and- CHEESE soup “. And so I added the cheese package at the very end. I know some of you are likely cringing at the thought!
I can’t tell you how GOOD it made it though! It gave a slightly creamy broth and cheesy flavor! Might get the same results by adding a couple of spoons of cream cheese right at the end, if powdered cheese is not your thing. Try it, trust me
Also, i used my own taco seasoning for the spices and cooked much longer to make sure everything was tender
This is a great meal. you can make to your liking easily. I used chili beans instead of the kidney. Also added cut up mild chiles. Added extra cumin and chili powder. Absolutely loved it. It’s a keeper for sure. everyone raved about it. It would make a great potluck dish.
thanks.
Made this for dinner tonight and was very very good. Family wants me to double it next time :o) Did add full cans of each bean and then more spice. My batch did not have any additional broth as shown in the picture but, was very delicious just as is. Next time will think about adding one green bell pepper along with onions to up the veggies. So great- thanks!
This recipe looks so good! Im not sure what i did wrong but it didnt turn out good for me. It wasnt as “soupy” as the pictures and the sauce i did have was kinda watery whereas on the pictures it looks flavorful and red. Any tips? Im not the best cook so im thinking i did something wrong.
It’s hard to say! Did it thicken up a bit as you let it sit?
Thank you so much for this recipe!!! I even won 2nd place (tied for 2nd :)) at the chili cook-off last weekend. My only concern is that it really lacked in kick. What do you recommend?
You can always increase the amount of spices, to taste.
This was a good recipe. I added Siracha to mine to give it a bit more kick since the seasonings by themselves were a tad bland. I also accidentally put in a whole pound of beef and a whole box of macaroni noodles (16 oz) because I wasn’t paying attention and didn’t realize the recipe cut it down like that. The way I buy my beef though, it’s very inconvenient to only use the 8 ounces. It’s also very difficult to get exactly 10 oz of noodles in the pot. It’s slightly less than 3/4’s, which is…I’m not sure. So instead I just used what I had. It turned out a bit more gumbo-like or stew-like that soupy like the picture for obvious reasons. I did add more chicken broth to compensate for the noodles. If I were to do the recipe again, I would add an extra can of tomatoes, use beef broth instead of chicken broth, less noodles, and definitely add the siracha/hot sauce. It was delicious though, and my kids enjoyed it. The 2 1/2 year old ate two helpings! That’s rare! Overall, a good base recipe to build on and tailor to you liking.
This recipe is so easy, and delicious! I didn’t have any kidney beans, so substituted with Ranch Style Beans, and it still turned out great!
I created a spreadsheet a few years ago to help me with meal planning, and have been updating it with every new recipe we try and like. It now contains around 90 meals, each categorized by main ingredient (Beef, Chicken, pasta, etc) and meal type (Mexican, Italian, American, etc), with a link to the recipe – yours included! It has saved me so much time with meal planning and making out my grocery list!
After talking with some friends, I thought this spreadsheet might be something worth sharing, so I have made it available from my blog to download for free! Now that my readers have your recipe, I’m sure they will be enjoying it as much as we do!
This was a total winner! My three kiddos gobbled it up – 4 bowls each. I doubled the recipe to pack in lunches day after. Thanks for creating meals that are both tasty and mom friendly!
This is my own opinion but I think this was a really poor recipe. No flavor and so little spice… boring. Really sad to see all these blogs with people that can’t cook with pretty pictures. Sorry to say that this recipe not one to ever make again. Come on people! Make your favorite chile recipe and add some cooked macaroni to it! Soooo much better! Really!… 2 teasps. ground chili!!!! So sad.
Agreed!
It was awful.
I kinda thought about doing exactly what you just said, which was to just make my own chili recipe next time since it would add more flavor and I wouldn’t have to go blind.
you need to use this as a base recipe and add your own kick to it. I added extras and man was tasty.
This is my favorite! I use turkey add the whole cans of beans and a little extra cheese. I make this all the time and everyone loves it. It’s also great for leftover lunches. Thank you!
Yet again, you hit it out of the park! Thank you again for yet ANOTHER easy family favorite 🙂
I loved this recipe. I do like adding brown sugar for sweetness. What do you think?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
This is my second time making this and I LOVE it! I make it vegetarian though and it turns out awesome!
Thank you so much for this recipe!!! I LOVE the concept. I even won 2nd place (tied for 2nd :)) at the chili cook-off last weekend. My only concern is that it really lacked in kick. What do you recommend? I found it to be quite bland.
Thank you for everything!! I really enjoy your site and recipes. 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that! You can always increase the amount of spices, as needed.
I love chili Recipe. My mom already know about how to cook but your article i find different type to cooks.
Thanks for your articale
ONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW ADDITION.
Your puppy is adorable and love the name. You might consider a “heartbeat” toy for Butters to keep him company. Also loud ticking clocks help. Just get him started on a daily routine and the sooner the better. 🙂
This turned out even better than I was expecting! (And I expected it to be good!) My picky toddlers liked it – except for the meat, so I might make a meatless version for them. They normally won’t touch chili at all, so this was great! I thought the flavours came together nicely and the cheese added a nice, mellow flavour. I accidentally added cilantro instead of parsley on top (was rushing and didn’t notice which one I grabbed from the fridge) but it was really tasty. I’ll definitely make it again!
I played around with the recipe a bit, and here’s what I came up with:
I doubled the ground beef, used full cans of beans, chili powder to taste. Then I made a white sauce (1tbsp each of butter and flour, 1 cup milk), and grated enough cheese in it to make it the way I like it. I mixed this into the pot after the macaroni was cooked. It came out great.
This recipe is great! We like sweeter chili so I added 6 Tbsp of brown sugar with the broth -AMAZING! My brother and boyfriend both went back for seconds.
I just have one question. What size of Dutch oven did you use? I have a 5 Qt. So, I can make the adjustments needed in the ingredients. Thank you!
I used a 3.5qt Dutch oven.
I just made this tonight! Crazy!
It was delicious. Even my kid who HATES chili loved it.
One of the best I have ever tried my self. Loved how easy it was to make. Thumbs up for this fantastic recipe.
This was great and easy I did add green bell peppers and extra garlic but liked it with crusty bread!
I can’t wait to make this today, perfect for a chilly fall Sunday while we watch some football!!!
This looks like a winner. Especially since I’m looking for comfort food this time of year. Many thanks for posting.
We had 2 or 3 helpings each (just the two of us) and it was so delicious! I’m sending it to my daughters. I know my grandkids will love it! Thanks so much.
This is in our regular rotation (I make it at least once a month)! It makes a lot…way more than the 4 servings that is indicated in the nutritional information.
This is completely delicious. Can I substitute turkey meat for the ground beef?
Yes, absolutely.
I’m thinking of making this with fake (veggie) ground “beef” (Quorn brand). Has anyone tried this? Does it still work? Thanks in advance!
I was going to give this a try in my crock pot – i tried looking through the comments but didn’t see anything, do you know if anybody has tried it that way?
Would I totally ruin this recipe by using while wheat elbows?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Do you think left over pulled pork would work instead of the ground beef?
Yes, absolutely. What a great idea!
Hi! We made this tonight without meat and subbed veggie broth. It was great! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I love that sweet little dog…so cute, but I would be a dog hoarder if my husband would let me.
As it is, I am looking forward to trying this soup…sounds yummy and I bet the men in my house would love it. Thanks for taking the time to post.
Love the look of this mac chili! yumm!
So when I first saw this recipe I too assumed it was a mac and cheese with some chili elements added, not a chili/mac and cheese hydrid-which is what this is. If I hadn’t dug around the comments as I usually do I’d have been pulling my hair out thinking I messed it up. I also didn’t love the odd measurements, as others have commented on as well. I have a small fridge right now and I’m lucky to cook anything, let alone deal with odd leftover portions of meat and canned beans. So, comments in mind, I used a little over 1 lb of ground beef, 1 full can of beans for each-white and red, 16 oz of elbow pasta (whole box) and the whole packet of grated cheese (2 cups). Because I have a 2 and 4 year old I only used 1 tsp of chili powder but otherwise I kept it all the same. It was, as advertised, DAMN DELICIOUS!! As is everything I’ve tried from this site. As I hoped much of the chicken broth absorbed so it was closer to a mac and cheese. I ladled it into a large bowl and put cheese between layers and left it in the bowl a bit longer than the 2 min it would have taken otherwise.
The bottom is a bit saucy so I don’t know how leftovers will be but there are PLENTY and I’m glad for it. The flavors are amazing and I’m glad it took to the tweaking I, and many others, ended up doing to it. I hope Chungah isn’t bothered by all of our adjustments. With little kids “saucy” doesn’t mix! I LOVE this site so much I will GLADLY be buying her cookbook- one, to have pretty pictures and not having to have my latop open in the kitchen and two-to say “THANK YOU” for the blog and the delicious meals I’ve cooked because of it. First time commenting- longtime reader. 🙂
This was delicious and very filling! I didn’t even touch the crusty french bread I served with it. It was a bit soupy at first but good enough for a second helping and since it got to sit and thicken a little I thought it was fabulous! Will definitely make again. Thumbs up all around our table! Thank you!
This recipe is Damn Delicious! I’ve made it several times, and is one of my go-tos. Im a strict vegetarian, so I take out the meat completely, and instead add 2 full cans of beans. One of them kidney beans, the other chili beans with the sauce. I’ve discovered serving this with nacho doritos,which sends it over the top! Thank you for an awesome recipe!
I decided to make this for dinner tonight. I added some bell pepper as well as the diced tomatoes with green Chile’s since we like our chili spicy. I used hot chili powder as well. It tasted delicious! I will definitely make this again. I think next time I might add some lentil beans.
Wow this looks so yummy! I love chili and Mac and cheese too! This is he perfect mashup!
Made this tonight. Doubled the beef and the seasonings. I added a green pepper. It was delicious. Thank you!!!
This looks delish and can’t wait to try it! I was wondering why so little meat and can I double the meat without adding extra ingredients? Thanks.
Yes, you can double the meat to your liking but the other ingredients will have to be adjusted as well to compensate for this addition.
Made this tonight. I modified slightly by only adding one can of beans, increased the chili powder to 1 tbsp, used whole grain pasta and added a handful of finely shredded fresh spinach. It was delicious. The whole family enjoyed it and I only have a snack size left. So good and so easy to modify to add in extra veggies. I thought it tasted like a homemade hamburger helper. So much tastier and healthier. It will go into the family rotation. Thank you for the yummy recipe!
Can I make this ahead and freeze it (after cooking). I am making some dishes for myself and my niece who just had twins to keep in the freezer.
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
This looks delicious! I especially like that it is cooked all in one pot as that would be great for making in our motor home. I am just wondering how big a “serving” is, so I can adjust accordingly for 2 seniors with no leftovers, as we don’t have much cold storage space when we travel. Also is the nutritional info really just for one serving? I’m going to give it a try for sure.
A serving is roughly 1-2 cups.
What is a recommended side for this dish, if any?
My absolute favorite side dish is the garlic parmesan roasted potatoes. But please feel free to check out all of my side dish recipes here.
I made this tonight for dinner increasing some of the ingredient amounts–will definitely make again. Thanks!
Hello, I have made this chili Mac and my whole family loved it (which is a miracle!!). I just joined a freezer meal club & im looking for a easy but yummy recipe to make. I was wondering if you think this would freeze well? Clearly I would instruct them to thaw in fridge overnight & then reheat. Any thoughts would be GREATLY appreciated!! I scrolled thru at least 100 comments but didn’t see the topic! Sorry if it’s a repeat!!
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
This turned out delicious! Thank you so much. This was honestly the easiest dinner I think I have ever made…. and clean-up was super easy too!! The only changes I made (after tasting the original recipe) was adding an extra 1/4 cup of cheese and adding a can of tomato sauce. I also used 1 large can of cannelloni beans instead of using a little of each type. Thanks again!
Just had to stop by and thank you for this delightful recipe. I pinned it quite sometime ago, but didn’t get around to making it until this past fall. Boy was I missing out! I made one addition originally. The first time I made it, it turned out thicker than I had anticipated. Having a container of leftover whipping cream in the fridge, I added about 1 cup of that, or to the consistancy I preferred. I’ve continued to make it that way everytime because, why not, it was yummo! Try it with some cream if you’ve never done so.
My husband claims the recipe should called loaded Mac and cheese instead.
MMm. What a great recipe, tasty , quick and delicious. I can’t wait to try your other great recipes.
I’m making this now and it smells delicious. I know my family is going to enjoy it.
I clicked on this for the recipe but I am commenting on Butters! I grew up with Corgis and never knew anyone else who owned one. My heart melts whenever I see one. They are the best dogs!
This looks so good!!! I can’t wait to make this. Butters is absolutely adorable and Congratulations on the new addition.
Thanks for posting. This was a great week night meal. The only thing I changed was to use a full pound of burger.
Can I just take a moment to tell you I love you! lol. Seriously, you have made my life so much easier. I’ve tried tons of your recipes and all but one have been loved by all of us. This recipe is now one of my go to meals that I always have the ingredients for in the house and we make at least twice a month. Super delicious!
Hice esto para mis hijos hoy y solo puedo decir ¡wow!
I made this and it was delicious! Tasty, easy, inexpensive, and it’s also great the next day. I added some Frank’s red hot to my bowl to give it an extra kick (but also because I am addicted to Frank’s.) With or without Frank, I’m keeping this in my rotation forever! Thanks 🙂
This was soooo good. My super choosey four year old seriously said “this is crazy good!!”
Can’t wait to try it! Just curious though, why only 8 ounces of ground beef?
You can always add more as needed to suit your preferences.
Does anyone know how many cups this makes?? I want to make it and I know it says “4 servings” but it’s 15 WW points per serving, so was wanting to break it down and see if this was huge servings or if it’s pretty small servings and 4 is reasonable. Thanks!!
Instant favorite! I added the whole 12oz box of twisted elbow veggie pasta, my can of diced tomatoes had green chiles, 1 small can of tomato sauce, a little extra chili powder and 1tsp cornstarch to thicken it up a bit. So much flavor! I LOVE this blog! I’ve made 4 recipes now and they’ve all been added to our favorites! Thank you so much for posting! Following you on Instagram has gotten us out of our home-cooking slump 🙂
Made this today for dinner with my boyfriend and we loved it! It was the perfect meal for a cold, gloomy day. This recipe definitely makes more than 4 servings though, more like 6. It’s also more chili than mac and cheese, but we sprinkled some extra cheese on top. Great recipe! We’ll be making it again for sure 🙂
Making this now but disappointed in that the 10oz of macaroni has soaked all the liquid. Looks nothing like the picture. Looks like a goulash. ???????
Most of the liquid should be soaked up – that’s the beauty of a one pot meal! However, if there is not enough liquid to go around, please feel free to reduce the amount of pasta as needed to suit your preferences.
The only thing that would make this recipe better would be is to make it in the crockpot. Would you have any suggestions on how I might prepare it in the cockpit other than put the macaroni in about 30 minutes before ready to eat? Thank you so much for posting.
It is very difficult to give exact conversion information to translate a traditional stovetop recipe to be used in a slow cooker without further recipe testing. However, here is an article worth checking out on a possible conversion guide. Hope that helps!
I love this chili recipe and you should totally enter this chili contest! I think you have a good chance at winning!
http://bushbeans.thedailymeal.com/
One of our new favourites to our diner menu! We add the pasta separately as we found it soaked up too much of the liquid, and added corn.
This recipe is now a household favorite, my husband (who is extremely picky) loved it, even got seconds… I did double it and instead of onions I used onion powder because my husband hates onions and added a little garlic powder! Absolutely amazing!!!
I will try the recipe, but must comment on Butters the corgi. I know she is well over a year old now, but she seemed to be looking right at me and saying “Don’t you want a puppy just like me?” Why, yes, yes, I do!
I made this with 2 cups chopped leftover cooked Christmas turkey in place of hamburger. It was really great! I am always trying new things to use up all those Christmas leftovers. I can’t wait to try it with the ground beef later on and also will try the vegan recipe from Megan for my vegetarians.
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I’ve been wanting to make this for awhile, but in a vegan version. Substituted chipotle seasoned crumbled ‘tofurkey’ for the beef, low sodium vegetable stock for the chicken stock, and shredded vegan cheese instead of real cheddar. Used a whole can of low sodium kidney beans, skipped the white beans, and added a handful of lentils, just for fun.
Super delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Tried and tested – I can honestly say this recipe is ridiculously delicious.
Made a vegetarian version of this tonight and it was delicious! The whole family liked it, thanks!
We tried this recipe tonight. I doubled it. Loved the balance of ingredients. My 2 year old grandson asked for more. That makes me feel good. I didn’t read the recipe right and added the whole cans of beans. Which was fine since this house loves them. I’m grateful for your time in putting this recipe up. We loved it!!!By the way Butter is sooo cute!
Suuuper delicious! Me and my friends made this for fun, though there were a few cooking mishaps here and there (we put in way too much pasta), and it was the best thing I’ve tasted in a looong time! Definitely recommend!
Just made this to take to work for lunch the next few days. I sampled it out of the pot before the pasta is added and it’s so dang good. Besides flavor, the best part is how fast and easy this was to make. Have followed you for years and love your recipes. My favorite so far is still the avocado egg rolls. I brought those to a potluck and could barely get one for myself. Thanks!
I made this last night and my husband and I weren’t real thrilled with it. Taste is so subjective and I saw some people really liked this recipe so I am glad it worked for some. If I made it again I would probably cook a full lb of ground beef instead of half, do less noodles, and add 2 cans diced tomatoes. It wasn’t really chili nor was it really mac and cheese at all. It is always fun to try new recipes though so it wasn’t a total waste.
I never comment but I had to this time. I’ve been searching high and low to find something that my picky boys would eat. We LOVED this – all of us. There was the perfect balance of noodles and cheese to beans and meat that made my 6 and 4 yr old gobble it up. Thank you!
Just wanted to thank you for this recipe!! Made it tonight for tonight and it was definitely a hit with my husband!
I LOVE this recipe! I figured out how to double this recipe so that I can eat one that night and freeze the other. I’m a fan of making one big mess instead of two! Haha
Grocery List:
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
1 lb. ground beef
2 (32-ounce) boxes chicken broth
2 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5-ounce) canned white kidney beans (AKA cannellini beans), drained and rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
4 teaspoons chili powder
3 teaspoon cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 (16-ounce) box uncooked elbows pasta
2 (1 lb.) bags shredded cheddar cheese
1 Pint Freezer Ziploc bag
On the freezer Ziploc bag write – “Chili Mac and Cheese” add box of broth to mixture, bring to a boil, add half a box of elbow noodles, simmer for 13-15 min, and then add cheese. (Keep the 32 oz. box of broth and half the box of elbow noodles in the pantry and you can freeze one of the bags of cheese to thaw later with your mixture.)
Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add garlic, onion and ground beef, and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat. While this is cooking, open your cans (beans and tomatoes). Rinse and drain your kidney beans. Half of each kidney bean cans and one diced tomato can need to go in the Ziploc. Once the ground beef is cooked split half of the ground beef, onions, and garlic into the Ziploc bag.
Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes (one can), beans (half of each can), chili powder (2 teas. in the pot and 2 teas. In the bag) and cumin (2 teas. in the pot and 2 teas. In the bag); season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a simmer and stir in pasta. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through, about 13-15 minutes.
Remove from heat. Top with cheese and cover until melted, about 2 minutes.
Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
I hope this makes sense!!!
I came across this when my husband showed me a post it was on yesterday. Looking forward to making this with par-cooked gluten free elbows. : )
Your pup is adorable. What a sweet little face! I bet he’s all grown up and handsome by now, being that I’m seeing this about 18 months after the original posting.
I made this about 2 weeks ago. While the flavor is great, I agree with the other post. The amount of macaroni called for in the recipe has to be a typo. It was way, way too much pasta!!!! Add at least half of what it calls for!
I thought for sure that I had made a mistake. I thought maybe the pasta was to be cooked first. Or that I hadn’t followed the recipe. Nope. I would change it to approx 4 oz of macaroni and it will be a perfect, cold night recipe!
Liz, the amount of pasta listed in the recipe is correct. However, please be mindful there are different sizes of elbow pasta (small and large). I highly recommend using small.
This was delicious! Thank you! I used lean ground turkey instead of beef. I also had to add a bit more broth, but this could have been because I cooked it too high or I used too many noodles? Either way, delicious recipe. Thank you!
This was pretty good, however being from TX, we found we needed to at least triple the amount of chili powder and cumin, plus add the whole cans of beans as it was not robust enough for our tastes. We also found the amount of pasta to be a bit much, so we would reduce it by two to three ounces next time. Overall, a nice hearty and filling meal!
That looks (and sounds) absolutely amazing!! I will definitely be making it one night this week, if not tomorrow!! Thanks for sharing!!!
Oct.14/15 I had leftover chorizo + hot Italian sausage. Started with fresh medium tomatoes, added sweet onion, garlic and sautéed. Added vegetable broth, the rest as per the recipe. Used a can of Romano beans (all I had). Topped with jalapeño cheese in the pot. Then served with 2yr old cheddar. Marvellous and thank you!! Your dog is so cute. Ottawa, Canada
Went looking for a Chili Mac recipe and found one..complete with a very cute Pem Puppy!! I will be making this tonight for our dinner. If you love Pems..you must be a great cook. I know because I love to cook and we are doggy parents to to Pems. We have Smokey who is a red/headed tri, age 6 and our new boy Lukas, a striking little sable. We’ve had Pems in our home for many years, best dogs ever.
Thanks for the recipe, my hubby is going to like this one!!
I meant to say TWO Pems and our Lukas is just over a year. Love sweet puppy faces.
Can I make this and serve it the next day?
Yes, absolutely.
Just made this, and it’s so easy and amazing. I couldn’t find chili powder (I’m in Japan, some stores have it, the one I went to didn’t), so I improvised with a combination of paprika, cumin, oregano, cilantro and chili pepper, kind of dashing them in and tasting as I went, and it worked! I also used about half the pasta (small pot, sacrifices had to be made), but the balance was still great. Anyway, thanks again!
Can I use 1 lb hamburger? I wasn’t sure how much it would change it. In my eyes the more meat the better.
Yes, absolutely.
Just had this for dinner. It was definitely a winner and I will be putting it in my keeper board. The only change I made was to use all of the beans and cut down on the pasta a bit. Thanks for sharing.
Why not use ground chicken and reduce your intake of red meats and lower the calories as well?! It really won’t effect the taste at all.
Anne, you can use ground beef, ground chicken or ground turkey if you’d like – it’s up to you! Isn’t that the beauty of home cooking?
Would this be good to cook at home then freeze and then re cook over a camp fire for camping? Just wondering?
Unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot say with certainty. Please use your best judgment.
The beauty of recipes like this is they are easily tweaked to your liking. While I thought it was pretty tasty, if I were to make this again, I would double the meat, increase the beans, and most of all, I’d cut the elbows in half. I cut it back to 8 oz., but it was still too much. All the other ingredients kind of got lost in all that pasta. I felt it could use more cheese – this recipe makes quite a lot. Also, IMO, 13 to 15 minutes is too long, unless you like mushy pasta. I turned off the heat after 10 minutes and let it sit for a few more..
We really love this recipe. I love that basically making the sauce with broth doubles for also cooking the pasta. That’s why this is such a wonderful recipe- it multitasks and saves so much time. Plus cooking it this way makes it so much richer and more delicious. I’d also like to say that it’s just such an easy recipe in terms of saving time. While you are doing one part you can be preparing for another part.
Also we often make substitutions. We’ve done this recipe with ground turkey and vegan substitutes depending on how we feel or our guest’s dietary restrictions. We’ve also used alternative pastas. No matter how we alter the recipe it always comes out great. I personally love that I can use canned goods for this. That means this is a great last minute recipe.
Anyway, we love chili mac and this is basically the only way we make chili mac now. Couldn’t live without this must-have recipe in our arsenal of favorites. You have no idea how much it enriches our lives to have dependable recipes we enjoy that can be healthy as well. We are so grateful to you for sharing!
Love this recipe.. it was delicious and the family went for seconds.
Thank you so much for this recipe, I love it! So easy and yummy! We have tweaked it some to make it a tad bit healthier: whole wheat pasta, kidney beans, black beans, ground turkey and add a little corn! The addition of corn has made me want to play with making a Tex-Mex version! I have shared this recipe with all my friends!
P.S. Even my 2 year old likes this! BONUS!!
I love One Pot Meals! I make this for my family at least once a month and they love it. I double the portions so we’ll have some for lunch the next day. I also use ground turkey instead of beef and I add about a cup of cheese directly to the pot just before the pasta is done. I think the fact that everything sticks together with the cheese helps to hide the beans from my kids! They won’t eat them if they find them!! This recipe is very tasty. Thanks for the recipes!
This is a great one pot meal! Next time I would add a bunch more salt and pepper, and will definitely double the tomatoes and up the spices a bit.
Once a year, in the depths of a -40, (-50 with the wind chill factor) Canadian Prairie winter, THIS IS THE BEST THING TO EAT. Thank you, Chungah.
Made this today and loved how easy to make, loved how quick the recipe was made and really loved the taste!
This recipe looks really delicious and easy to make on busy work nights ! I’m a vegetarian and will alter this recipe to replace the ground beef and add Quorn meatless & soy free grounds and use vegan cheese. I love all your one pot meals and I so thank you for all the effort you have put forth with all your recipes!!!
This was so easy and so yummy! I actually stirred the cheese in instead of sprinkling it on top. It’s good and hearty and great with corn muffins.
I’m from Brazil and I can’t find those beans here. Can I replace it for something else? Can I just do without it?
Anna, the beans are one of the main ingredients of this dish so I do not recommend omitting it completely. Do you have access to any other types of beans in Brazil?
I’ve tried three of your recipes, this one being the third and which I made last night.. Each one has knocked it out of the park. I am so happy to have stumbled across your food blog. Wishing you a wonderful day!
This is very good, easy to make and can be adjusted to your tastes. I use less beans and more ground beef, plus a little more cumin and chili powder. So good 🙂
SOOOO good! comfort food at its best! I added a little garlic salt as well!
1. i forgot to buy an onion, but have a bunch of shallots. Do u think I could use those, and would you omit garlic then if so?
2. We have a busy night where we have to eat in 2 shifts. Do u think I could make it now and then reheat it, or even later individually microwave their own serving with cheese?
Thanks!
Yes, shallots should work just fine. As for the garlic, that’s really up to you! This recipe also reheats beautifully.
You are right, if anyone else has the same question… I just packed it for my daughter’s lunch (by request!) and it looked even better the second day! Thanks!!
Not many ingredients and so very easy to prepare. My husband and I just had to have seconds…it’s so delicious. Because we’re nesters and had enough for leftovers (darn!) I topped our servings with shredded cheese instead of adding the cheese to the pot. Wasn’t quite sure how the cheese would hold up. Beans/pasta ratio was fine for us….will add extra chili powder/cumin next time.
I tried this tonight. I found it lacked in flavor. Maybe I’m just used to more flavorfull food, but it was very bland to me. Maybe I did something wrong, although I followed the measurements and directions perfectly (except the beans, added 1 can of each). Maybe next time I’ll buy flavored tomatoes instead of just plain diced tomatoes.
Stephanie, I’m sorry that this recipe did not turn out the way you had imagined. I only post recipes that have been successfully tested in my own kitchen, and as you can see from the comments here, many of these readers have had great outcomes in the final dish as well. Did you make any kind of substitutions here? Also, did you season with salt and pepper, to taste? It’s amazing how much of a difference a little bit of seasoning makes!
looks deliciious. Can you possibly guide me how to make this in a crockpot? The chili mac cheese. Thx. Also Butters is too cute
Unfortunately, it is very difficult to give exact conversion information to translate a traditional stovetop recipe to be used in a slow cooker without further recipe testing. However, here is an article worth checking out on a possible conversion guide: http://www.thekitchn.com/5-tips-for-converting-recipes-to-the-slow-cooker-189343.
I made this the other night and it was super good! My hubs is a bit of a carnivore, and is not crazy about tomatoes, so I increased the ground beef a little and used a smaller can of Rotel tomatoes. We had the leftover for lunch today – delish!
Butters is just too dear. Happy Day!
Is this kind of like a soup? I love all the ingredients, but am wondering if I could modify it to be more like a casserole instead of a soup? Would I just add less chicken broth?
Yes, it is more like a thick soup rather than a casserole. Please feel free to reduce the amount of liquid as needed to suit your preferences.
Made this with gf pasta…Brilla brand. So good!
Tried this tonight and it was so tasty as well as filling! Thanks for sharing!
I followed the recipe which looks soupy but the pasta soaked up most of the broth. I added more but it soaked up most of that too. It had good flavor but wished it could be soupy. Also it says it serves 4 but it my pot is full, I would guess 10 servings at least.
Tina, unfortunately I’m not entirely sure what went wrong as there is quite a bit of liquid to go around. Perhaps you added too much pasta? Also, this recipe should be sufficient to serve 4-6, unless you have 10 very small eaters!
Is the nutrition information for one serving? What is a serving size?
Yes, nutritional information is always for one serving, which can be roughly about 1-2 cups for this recipe.
you show 2 kinds of kidney beans. white and “red” I assume?
Looks yummy. will definitely make. thanks for sharing!
Yes! The recipe calls for 3/4 cup canned white kidney beans, drained and rinsed and 3/4 cup canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed.
I made this tonight, with ground turkey, whole wheat pasta, & low fat cheese. Absolutely delicious! Toddler & husband approved.
dont like tomatoes, can I substitute for tomato sauce and how much?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot advise an appropriate substitute that will not alter the overall taste/texture of the dish. Using a substitution may also result in a mediocre outcome. But if a substitution must be made, please use your best judgment.
Made this last night, and it was a hit! Didn’t put beans in, for two reasons. One, a picky eater who won’t eat anything with beans in it, and two, the canned beans (and tomatoes) have a lot of sodium. Our picky eater spends a lot of time at his dad’s house, so we will probably do this one with freshly cooked beans in the near future. It came out beautifully even without them though! Thanks!
Does the ground beef in this recipe account for a lot of the saturated fat? I’m trying to lower the amount of saturated fat in my recipes, but this looks so d* delicious!!!!!!! I have extra lean ground turkey meat I could substitute it for. Just trying to figure out where it all the saturated fat is from in the nutritional count. Thank you for all your delicious recipes!!!
Yes, the saturated fat would come from both the ground beef and cheddar cheese.
I’m relatively new to your blog and am so happy to have found it! This recipe was delicious, flavorful, and warm – perfect for this cold winter! Can’t wait to make it again!
Just found this on Pinterest, had to make it right away it looked so delicious, came out absolutely amazing!
Looks likes like a great dinner recipe!
Outstanding. I made this tonight. I left out the beans and added extra noodles and cheese.
I just found your website, and I’m already obsessed!! This recipe looks really amazing, and not too complicated, which are two important things in my book. And you have a corgi! I’m jealous, they’re seriously the cutest dogs in the world.
Love the puppy picture, he is adorable!
Is this more like a soup?
Not really – it’s more of a thick pasta dish.
i am damn hooked on all your food thanks!!!!!!!!
My after 20 years of wanting a Ceramic Dutch Oven, I bought one it will arrive 1/16/15. After searching all day for the perfect recipe. I have chosen this one and I’m so excited!
Wish me luck…..
Good luck! I hope this recipe turns out for you. It’s a favorite of ours!
Can this be frozen?
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! I recommend using your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
This was so good! I mashed some of the beans to make it a little thicker and also added extra chili powder and a little cinnamon for extra flavor. Will definitely make it again.
Thanks for putting this recipe out.
Looks really delicious.
Just made this for dinner. Delish!!!
I made a few additions .
I added more chicken broth, 1 can tomato sauce and 2 tsp of tomato paste.
My version probably tasted more like a hearty soup rather than chili but yummy none the less!!
Is ok to make in a crockpot? And I need to make it for at least 10 people any suggestions on how to adjust for a larger group.
Please understand that it is very difficult to give exact conversion information to translate a traditional stovetop recipe to the slow cooker method without further recipe testing. I recommend using your best judgement to convert this recipe to utilize a slow cooker. Also, this recipe yields about 4-5 servings so please make the adjustments accordingly.
This meal is packed with protein and perfect for a cold evening. I love that cooking it in one pot keeps it hot for a long time. I have braces which forces me to eat slowly, but this stayed warm the whole time and was easy to eat. We probably used more than twice the recommended amount of cheese and it still turned out great. Would it hurt to use a whole pound of beef next time without adjusting the amount of chicken broth? I’m assuming only half a pound is used to keep it healthier.
The recipe really only needs half a pound but if you do decide to add more, the amount of chicken broth will have to be adjusted to compensate for the addition.
This was amazing! I left out the meat because I’m a vegetarian and used gluten free noodles
I didn’t have both types of kidney beans in the closet so I just used black and kidney beans and added more because I left the meat out. I also added a small can of corn and instead of parsley I topped it with avacado.
It was just wonderful!
I made this for dinner tonight, and wow!!! This recipe was amazing. The only thing I did different was use beef instead of chicken broth. It’s great to find such a simple recipe that is still full of flavor. This was comfort food at its finest. Thank you!
This looks AMAZING! I bought the stuff and was just about to make it when I realized…should the garlic be diced, chopped, minced, whatever? Or do I just put the cloves in whole?
Rhonda, the garlic should be minced (or pressed if you prefer).
Thanks for the great recipe! I just made it, and it was yummy! I do have a few questions, though. First, is it a small or medium onion? Second, do you measure your ounces on the net weight of the package or ounces to cups ratios? Why not say 1 & 1/4 C instead of 10 oz.? Why not 1 C instead of 8 oz. of ground beef? And lastly, do you use regular or large elbow? Thanks in advance for all the clarification. I think I may have added a little too much mac, but regardless, it was fantastic! :))
Theresa, you can use either a small or medium or large onion – that really depends on personal preference. I also like to give out the weight of certain ingredients because it’s not like you can go to a meat counter and ask for 1 cup. You can also use regular or large elbow – again, that’s up to you!
WOW!!! I made this for our family and it was really great!! We had some left in the pot and my older son came home from work and finished the rest off. Delicious!!
Wow this looks so good! I can’t wait to try!! Ps. Butters is so adorable!
I made this last night, it was great! The family loved it!! I cooked the meat, and cooked the noodles to al dente and put everything in the crock pot on low for about an hour, then turned it to warm while we were at the gym (another hour), but next time I will be just putting the noodles in uncooked and probably put the crock pot on high. The noodles ended up being a little soft. I also added extra chili powder cause we love a strong chili! This was such a good chili!!! Thank you, Chungah!!!
I found this recipe on Pinterest, and I’m glad I did…it’s yummy AND super easy! One pot, less clean up. *WooHoo* I shared it on Facebook. We’re due to have a cold week here in SC, so I made some to keep our bellies warm. Thanks so much for sharing! (Your dog is so cute! We had a Pembroke Welsh Corgi named Jack {RIP}. He was the best! Absolutely loved–and protected–my son.)
I made thisvtonight and it was awesome! I made only a few changes and only to adjust amounts. I used two full cans of beans, a full lb of pasta (elbows) and inc the stockk by about 1 cup. I also used 2 cups of white cheddar cheese. It came out perfect! We all loved it and we all will love the leftovers I’m sure. I also adjustef the spices as i thought appropriate. Thanks for the great recipe! It truly is a one pot meal! Perfection in a pot!
My whole family loved it (me, husband, my mom, and three-year-old twins)! I used the whole pound of ground beef (drained), the full can of beans, a little extra broth, and added some chipotle chili pepper because we like a little spice. So good! Thank you for sharing!
Made this tonight for dinner. Oh. Em. Geeeeeeeeeeeeee! Tasted fantastic. Very good comfort food, and perfect for the colder weather, although San Diego is still 70 degrees……but very, very tasty.
Can this be frozen and re-heated?
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! I recommend using your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
We are going to try this dish, probably next weekend during the cold cold weather. Love your puppy. We also have a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, he is a little over 8 years old, they are the best dog in the world, even with age. Can’t wait for this dish. Thanks you!!!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was GREAT! My husband, son, and I loved it. It was very easy to make and was very filling. I will be making this again.
This looks delish! Definitely going to try it out! I work for Le Creuset and I’m so glad you are enjoying and using your cute, cherry red, cast iron pot! 🙂 Hate to brag, but our cookware really IS the best! 😉 If you haven’t tried out our braiser yet, it’s one of my other favorite pieces…love it! Happy cooking, and thanks for sharing your one pot recipe!
I have a large deep frying pan (maybe called chicken cooker?) which had a nonstick surface. it ended up being burned pretty badly. Is there anything that can be done? I love your Le Creuset pans and have many, many of them. I found the size of the burned one to be very handy and can’t really use it as it is now. Can you suggest anything I can do?
This is the 2nd time I made this! I use whole can of beans and ground turkey, this time I used cilantro instead of parsley! LOVE IT! So did my husband and teenage boy! Quick, simple, cheap!
I just made this recipe! It is AMAZING!!! I did sauté bell peppers with the onions (because I love bell peppers) and substituted cilantro for the parsley (because I love ciltrano). Followed all of the instructions and it turned out sooo good! Thanks for posting the recipe! 🙂
I’ve made this twice now. The first time was to recipe and it was great! This last time I changed it a little. I didn’t drain the beef and added 2 tablespoons of flour to the beef/garlic/onions and let it cook out a bit. I used beef broth because I had it on hand. Before adding the cheese, I melted 2tbs of butter into it and added 1/4 cup of milk. Then I melted melted most of the cheese into the sauce.
Thanks for an awesome and flexible recipe. And Butters is adorable. Corgis are my favorite. ♥
I took this dish to bible study last night and the ladies LOVED it. Thank you for this delicious recipe!!
Can’t wait to make this tonight!!!! BTW…Can this meal be frozen, by chance, if I have any leftovers????
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! I recommend using your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
This stuff is the BOMB!! I just made it and yes I used a whole package of hamburger, all of the cans of beans and extra chili powder and cumin. It was great, I can’t wait to make it again!! Thank you for sharing!
I am so excited to make this recipe. But I cant tell if the pasta is cooked or not when added. Thanks
Yashika, the pasta is uncooked to begin with – that’s the beauty of a one pot meal!
This recipe looks delicious and I can’t wait to make it! I’m just curious on what size your Dutch oven is? Thanks!
I used a 3-qt Dutch oven.
Made this tonight for my family. Its cold, raining & everyones catchin a cold bug. I wanted something healthy, satisfying, tasty & quick. I added 1/4 cup of leftover corn (my daughter loves corn). The canned beans held about 1 cup & I like lots of beans in chili so I went ahead & used the full cans worth Of drained & rinsed beans (didn’t want 1/4 cup of each left over). I served it with a dollop of sour cream & a pinch of extra shredded cheddar on top. I might add a third clove of garlic & a tiny bit of red pepper flakes next time. This is a great recipe that’s forgiving of mild tinkerings.
I tried it & it was so yummy. My Friend’s loved it too. Eas to make
I make this meal at least twice a month. The whole family absolutely loves it! Thank you so much. It’s so hard to make them all happy.
Chungah,
I absolutely love your comfort food recipes. I am currently living in Seoul and sometimes all it takes to cure homesickness is one delicious meal. A lot of your recipes include things I can easily find here in Korea. Thank you for that.
This chili-mac recipe is an absolute must when the weather turns to fall and thoughts of family on the other side of the world come to mind. 🙂
Have you ever made the recipe with black beans or chili beans instead of the white beans? Any thoughts on that?
~감사함니다!~
Stephanie
You are very welcome! I actually haven’t tried this recipe with other beans but I’m sure it would be a great substitute!
Hello-
First I would like to say how happy I am to have found your website. I have made a few of your dishes and I could not be more impressed. My husband and I have three kiddos and many of your dishes are not very time consuming, which helps out around my house. 🙂 I do have a question….Do you think it would make much of a difference if I were to use vegetable stock instead of the chicken broth? I was planning on making this for dinner this evening but for some reason I purchased vegetable stock instead of the chicken broth.
Yes, that should be just fine!
Loved this recipe! Made it tonight since my daughter had soccer practice it was quick and easy. Made a little more so I could have some left over and also added some spinach to it…always trying to add (sneak) some greens in when I can! Thanks!
This looks really yummy! Do you know if it will freeze well? I would love to make as a freezer meal for a new mommy that I know.
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! I recommend using your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
Okay. Thanks. I’m gonna give it a go. I hope it works okay :/
How did the freezing and reheating go?
Just came across this recipie….looks delicious…….but the Corgi! OMG!!! I have a corgi named Otto, they are just the cutest puppies and the best dogs ever! Enjoy your pup
Not sure about the recipe but you corgi is adorable. I have two.
Thank you! We are thinking about adopting another corgi soon. Hopefully, a tri-colored corgi this time.
As for the recipe, I hope you will give it a try. It’s one of our favorites!
I love your recipes, also the pic of your puppy Butter. I also think you are so cute!! Every time I see your recipes I know they are going to be delicious and printable. Enjoy your new puppy and give it lots of TLC, the pup will love you back with unconditional love!!!
We aren’t bean fans…will I need to adjust the recipe at all if I take those out? Sounds delicious otherwise! 🙂
Kristi, you can certainly omit the beans but I cannot speak for how much this will change the overall taste/texture of the dish.
Thanks for this recipe! made it earlier and it was a success!! hubby loved it he served himself 4 bowls full! did it on the slowcooker. and ate it with garlic bread
This looks yummy, will have to try it , congrats on your Corgi, we had two for 15 years and 3 litters of puppies. Wonderful little dogs with big dog personalities!
This looks amazing! Gonna make it tonight, but substituting veggie ground round for the meat. Can’t wait!
This chili is SUPER good! I doubled the recipe but used a bit less broth, and used beef broth for half. I would say it will be almost 8-10 servings. Well, anyway – my kids loved it since it was not too spicy but very flavorful, and I loved it even though I don’t like noodles. Yummy.
I’m planning on making this for college friends coming over tonight and wondering if I’m doubling the recipe should I double the chicken broth too? I’m afraid it will be to liquidy
I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried doubling this myself but you can certainly use 1.5x more broth to be on the safe side.
Can this be made in a crockpot?
Haylie, this recipe is tailor-made as a one pot meal on the stovetop. I recommend using your own judgement to convert this recipe to utilize a slow cooker.
I made this last night and it was wonderful! My family isn’t a huge fan of tomatoes so I only used half a can of petite diced tomatoes. We also swapped out white beans for black beans and used almost two cups of sharp cheddar cheese! It was a huge hit, thank you for sharing!
Just made this and yes it is a twist on traditional Chilli Mac. I loved it!
Thank you for sharing. This is as easy as they say – 30 minutes DONE! 🙂
Love this recipe and will be featuring it on my Monday Moments.
I saw this on Buzzfeed and made it last night! SO GOOD! I used ground turkey, lots o’ hot sauce and cheese, but otherwise followed the recipe. I will be visiting your blog regularly; you have great recipes!
Great recipe – a huge hit with my whole family! I think weighing the pasta is important because 10 oz is just the right amount for the liquid. Thanks for sharing!
Just wanted to drop in and say how much we enjoyed this easy, one pot dinner! I actually doubled the recipe…boy did it make a ton! Lucky for my neighbors and friends, they enjoyed your chili mac recipe tonight also 😉
I used what I had…added a can of tomato sauce, and used pinto and white northern beans. The rest I followed per directions. When doubling the recipe, I just used a 1lb box of macaroni and it seems to work out perfectly.
Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
If i wanted to leave out the meat would i reduce the broth?
Yes, the liquid should be reduced to compensate for the lack of meat in this dish.
How much should I reduce the broth if I leave out the meat?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment.
White kidney beans are also called cannelli beans…I probably didn’t spell that right bush beans carry them
I made with ground chicken and used all white beans (was cooking for someone who doesn’t eat beef) and this was really good. I’ll make again for sure. I want to try with beef as well. Thanks for the recipe.
Made this last night and must say it was a huge hit! I want to make it every week now. Thanks!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was a big hit with everyone! Such a great one-pot meal. Love all of your simple and tasty recipes.
I kind of fudged the amounts in this recipe to use (a lot) of leftovers from a chili cookoff at my university and holy moly, this was so good. I made the mistake of sharing it with my residence hall, and there was none left.
I really enjoyed this dinner but unfortunately my hubby did not. He is not much of a chili fan though. I found this dish super simple to prepare.
Good recipe and all, but the portion it makes is much too small if men are eating.
If you guys are heavy eaters, then yes, by all means, I recommend doubling the recipe! If anything, the leftovers are also amazing.
I made this and it was very good! Even though it tasted delicious it came out very dark in color (like dark gravy color). It did not look bright and colorful like the photo. Any suggestions on what I may have done for it to turn so dark? My kids were not impressed with the presentation. Any thoughts would be welcome!
Angi, I’m not entirely sure why it came out so dark in color. Did you follow the ingredient list as is? If all else fails, you can always top it off with a little bit of grated cheese – extra cheese always get me more excited about my meal 🙂
Maybe she forgot to drain and rinse the beans? That would darken it some, if you forgot to do that.
Have you tried freezing this recipe? Would you add the cheese before freezing or after it’s been heated once it’s been thawed out?
Michelle, unfortunately I have not tried freezing this (there were no leftovers to freeze 🙂 so I cannot answer this with certainty. I recommend using your best judgement for freezing/reheating options.
Made this tonight – an easy, impromptu dinner. Really enjoy it. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this tonight and it was DELICIOUS!!! I add our favorite toppings just like we were having chili, delicious. I could’t believe how easy this was.
Thanks so much!
Cuteness overload! And, we’re making this for dinner.
Thanks!
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I have 2 Pem’s named Buttercup and Wesley…I call Buttercup, Butter! They are the BEST dogs in the world! You will never pee alone or do anything alone for that mattter…always under your feet!
Yes, the peeing alone has definitely come to an end! 🙂
Making this for the 2nd time tonight-it’s been a huge hit with everyone. I watch a little girl who is dairy free-I scoop out her portion first and then add the cheese. The first time I made it with bacon and that was really good, going with the beef today.
I have looked at several grocery stores nearby (Walmart and Kroger) and haven’t found white kidney beans so I’m just going to make this tonight with all red. And since I had a bag of dried I’m going to soak and cook those instead of canned. If anyone else knows where to find the white ones please tell me where I’m missing them!
Megan, I was able to find them at Trader Joe’s and my local grocery store. If all else fails, you can always order from Amazon.
Walmart/Kroger both carry great northern beans and cannellini beans which are both white and can be used in this recipe.
I added fresh cilantro…used rotel tomatoes, and the shredded Mexican blend cheese….delicious…the fresh cilantro, if you like it, is a huge flavor enhancer in this meal!
I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious! I vegetarianized it by swapping the ground beef for a vegetarian substitute and chicken broth for vegetable broth. It was so good! I ate a bowl and a half for dinner and just ate another for lunch today. Yum!
Made this tonight and it was delish!! I did use turkey instead of beef and added a can of corn. A little too soupy but I will add some tomato sauce next time to thicken it up a bit. Very very tasty I will be making this again, thank you so much for sharing!
Yes, canned corn contains a lot of fluid, even if you drain it first, so some adjustment is necessary. What I always do is have on hand a box of very small pasta (orzo, acini de pepe, or those little Mexican stars), and about halfway through if my chili or spaghetti sauce is looking like it will be too soupy I throw in a tablespoon or two of the tiny pasta to absorb the excess liquid. Because they’re so small they cook faster than the other pasta so as long as you don’t wait too long to add them it should all come out fine.
did you drain the ground beef after cooking it? That might be a crazy question but just making sure.
Yes, I recommend draining the ground beef.
thank you
Holy smackeroni and cheese Batman!! I just saw this on someone’s board on pinterest, came here, found your crazy awesome site, and have made this for supper. This is so deliciously easy and yummy! As a mommy cooking for 7 people, this is so much appreciated!
What possibly got in your mind to create this? You inspire me!
Out of 6 kids 2 adults only had one not like it and I think he was just having a bad day and didn’t want nothing but his corn bread. I did have to play with it alittle since I was cooking for 8 and I wanted left overs for the weekend. I had hot Mexican chili powder so I was scared to add more so I added some of my homemade taco seasoning. I wanted a little deeper red color so I added two T of tomato paste. Next time I will add green peppers and might try it with corn.
I made this Monday and my husband & I loved it. Thank you for this recipe!
I made this tonight and it was kind of bland. I added more cumin and chili powder and in the end added a spoonful of salsa which gave it more flavor. If I were to make it again, I would double the ground beef and cut the noodles in half. I thought the ratio was a little off. There is definitely room to experiment a little! You have to add more liquid if you want to make it more like Chili. If you want it more like mac and cheese, I suppose you could use the recommended liquid add more cheese and throw it in the oven for a bit.
Molly, it really depends on how you want this to be – more mac and cheese or more chili. This is really a hybrid recipe, so although I could’ve added more spices, I wanted to keep a nice balance without overpowering any of the flavors.
Hi Molly, I completely agree with you! I wish I had seen your comment prior to making this tonight. Way too bland and definitely needed more spices. I ended up also adding a lot more cumin and chili powder.
I made this for dinner last night and it was SOOO good! Such a warm, hearty food after a long day. I subbed whole wheat rotini (because that’s what I had on hand) and just one can of kidney beans rather than partial cans of kidney and white. So delicious! Thanks 🙂
90% of my meals in my recipe book come from your blog. They are DELICIOUS and this one is no exception. You’re fabulous!
I love your blog…but recipe makes me crazy because you’re using partial cans of beans. I’m going to use an entire lb of ground beef (because that’s how it’s packaged) and full cans of beans. Thankfully, I”m an experienced cook and can figure out how to make adjustments to recipes to serve my family….plus I want leftovers!!!
I know what you mean but sometimes using an entire can of beans in a recipe is just too much!
Looks like we don’t drain grease after cooking meat…correct?
That’s really based on personal preference – feel free to drain or keep as is. I honestly didn’t feel the need to drain the excess fat.
This was really good!
This was the first Pinterest recipe I’ve made and it was perfect for an easy, tasty Wednesday night dinner. I asked the husband this morning if he was cool with it for dinner again tonight and he said “most definitely, it was really GOOD!” I’m so glad I ran across your blog and will be using it as a resource for recipes going forward.
p.s. Butters is precious!
Can I make this in a crockpot? How long would you cook it for?
Please understand that it is very difficult to give exact conversion information to translate traditional oven/stovetop recipes to the slow cooker method. I recommend using your own judgement to convert this recipe to utilize a slow cooker.
This was the first Pinterest recipe I’ve ever made! And in fact I made it for supper today. Skipped the parsley & only used 1/2 an onion (all I had around). Great lil recipe, very filling & it was delicious! I would add more chilli powder next time & maybe some green onions. Thank you for sharing! I’ll definitely be going back to this one in the future 🙂
Just made this. I think the recipe should read 6 oz. of pasta. It soaked up all the liquid, not like a soup at all. But very tasty.
Mindy, this is not really supposed to be a “soup” per se. This is really a hybrid between mac and cheese and chili, so there should only be a little bit of thickened chili along with some cheesy goodness 🙂
My boyfriend and I (mostly him) are Corgi obsessed even though we don’t have a little puppy of our own yet. Butters is too freaking cute!
I made this last night — I knew our teenaged boy would eat the whole thing as written, so I actually used 2 pounds of hamburger meat and pretty much doubled the rest of the recipe ingredients, except used the same amt of elbow mac and 6 cups of chicken broth. OMG, amazing and delicious. The broth is wonderful! Since the kid almost single-handedly consumed the HUGH Asian quinoa salad I made — we have leftovers of this recipe. Chung-Ah – I am so glad I found your site. Your recipes inspire me! I have made so many of them! This one is a keeper too!
Omg, Chung-Ah… Butters is freaking adorable! I miss my dogs so much. *cries*
Butters sound like a name I’d want to give my future kid. LOL! That and Cookie, Crumble, Cocoa, Berry, Sugar… stuff like that. And mixing 2 food items into one pot? You’re smart.
If you want to make this for a serving of 4, then cut the amount of the ingredients in half. I made this tonight to serve 4 but in reality it is closer to a serving of 8-10. It did taste good though. I substituted tomato sauce for the tomatoes as my wife does not like canned tomatoes.
I think we may have more hungry eaters here. The two of us cleaned this up in 2 sittings!
Did you just use a can of beans each. Or did you measure 3/4 cup. I just threw a cam each. Hoping it works.
Susie, I measured 3/4 cup for each. There is about 1 1/2 cups in a can of beans.
Just made this! It is delicious and so simple! Thank you for sharing it!! Yummmmm!
Oh my that is the cutest puppy ever!!!! My friend has a corgi. I just love that dog. Congratulations!!!!! I hope you post more pictures as she grows and prospers.
This recipe is the cat’s meow—-I used that metaphor for your new baby girl.
I am looking for kid friendly recipe that adults would like also. New grandkids in my sphere of influence, which is prompting my search. This would fit the bill.
Do you drain your beans and/or tomatoes?
Only the beans should be drained and rinsed.
Sorry, I was reading the list on my phone and somehow missed that you did state drained and rinsed. Luckily that’s exactly what I did. Thanks for the quick reply too. I just finished eating this for lunch. I also found that mine did not turn out as “soupy” as the picture like another person stated, more like chili mac because the noodles absorbed the liquid. I still very much enjoyed it! I’m sure you could cook the noodles separately and add them in right before eating, but I like it the one pot meal. I used chicken stock and fire roasted diced tomatoes because that’s what I had on hand. I think it could be cheesier, but I am watching what I’m eating so it’s probably for the best! Thanks!
No worries – I actually just updated the recipe when you pointed that out for other readers with the same question.
I love that name! Such a cutie. This mac looks delicious. Good luck with the new pup.
My son is allergic to tomatoes, I wonder if it would still be good if I omit them?
Susan, the tomatoes here are a crucial part of this dish. You can certainly try to omit them but I cannot speak for how much this will change the taste/texture of the overall dish.
Mine is too. I actually add corn instead to give it a little sweetness. It still comes out amazing. It’s one of his favorite meals.
Having grandchildren with a variety of food allergies, it can be a struggle at times to adapt recipes to their needs. I am going out on a limb here, to suggest jarred red peppers (not brined) diced. Maybe try using 1 cup… a smaller amount than the tomatoes called for because of the little bit stronger taste of red pepper. It will be a different taste but looking at the ingredients listed, it could still be delicious.
I love one dish meals 🙂 and the idea of chili mac & cheese sounds amazing!
Wow looks so yummy! I’ll prob use ground turkey (always adding a little worcestershire sauce to help turkey taste richer); I haven’t used ground beef in months! My hubby and kids can’t tell the diff!
Nice way to combine two great dishes!
Loved the whole idea of the one pot wonder, however I thought it was a little bland. I had to up the seasonings! Otherwise a good dish!
One pot dinners are the best! Pinned and shared!
Aww…Butters is adorable! So precious. I bet your hearts are swelling with joy over this new addition to your family. But, this recipe? Perfect! Mac and Cheese Chili. Where has this been my whole life? 😉 Busy moms everywhere will rave and become fans of this recipe. An instant classic! Thanks for sharing. Will pin to group boards at Pinterest! xo
Oh!!! I must say that I am a little blindsided by your adorable pup, that it’s hard to focus on your awesome recipe, but I’ll do my best here. This does look delicious and filling. A perfect meal in my home where I’ve got 3 hungry guys. Corgies are so, so adorable! Congratulations! : )
Yay! So glad you brought your sweet puppy home. I picture lots of snuggles and cozy chili mac in your future. 🙂
This is the definition of comfort food! So much goodness in one pot – loving everything about this.
Butters is so adorable – cannot even tell you how much I adore that name. It must be so much fun calling his name – definitely could never get tired of hearing that :))
I want, I want! Such goodness in one pot! Pinning
Butters is the cutest, so glad you got to bring him home (love the octopus!). And yes please to one pot mac & cheese!
Congrats on your new baby!! We have a Corgi too – they are AMAZING!! ENJOY!
Your new baby is just adorable. I hope Butters will be with you for many happy years. Speaking of butter, I have your butter chicken cooking in my crockpot and it smells delicious. I will make your Mac and cheese in the near future. Thanks for some great recipes.
Oh my goodness, what a sweet little face! Butters is adorable!
This chili mac sounds so good. Pinned!
Made it last night! My family loved it! It was so easy. For some reason I had to add more liquid. I may have used too much pasta.
? Can u make this in a croc pot after you brown the ground beef
Latoya, please understand that it is very difficult to give exact conversion information to translate a traditional stovetop recipe to the slow cooker method without further recipe testing. I recommend using your own judgement to convert this recipe to utilize a slow cooker.
This is one our families go to meals but your recipe has a few little differences that I am definitely going to have to try! Sounds (and looks) so yummy!!!
Wow. Why have I never seen anything like this before? Genius, putting the two together! And in one pot, nonetheless! I can’t WAIT to try this, especially because for some reason New England refuses to warm up (even though it’s mid-March) and this looks so warm and comforting. Yum!
Dang that looks spectacular, especially on a day that it is 20 degrees! I’m making a big pot of beef stew 🙂 Great recipe as usual 🙂
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
I have some frozen chili in the freeze and I think I’m going to try this recipe by adding broth and pasta to it.
This is just so much goodness in one place!! Love it…pinned.
Butters is so cute!! And this Mac looks absolutely delicious.
I’m dying over your puppy. It’s a good thing I’m all the way in Philly right now or I might steal him! And this mac – perfecto-mundo, one of my favorite ways to spicy up mac n cheese!
That baby Corgi is so damn..lol.CUTE!!!..cute babies and puppies make me grit my teeth..and looking at Butter so cute I’m doing it. Haha..love the recipes. I’ve made several of your recipes. .sooo good. No they are Damn Delicious!! Also your photography is Awesome..love your blog!!! THANK YOU!
Recipe looks delicious! One of the pictures looks like it has tomatoes- don’t think I saw any listed in the recipe. Should I add a can of diced tomatoes?
Yes, 1 can. Thank you for letting me know. I just updated the recipe.
Looks yummy! No tomatoes?????
Yes, the recipe includes 1 can diced tomatoes. Thanks for letting me know – the recipe has been updated.
Butters is adorable! And he has a pink octopus, every puppy should have a pink octopus, mine do. Oh, and the Chili Mac looks delicious – will be trying this very soon, as the cold weather is returning tomorrow!
He LOVES his pink octopus! I want to buy more in different colors – it’s so cute!
My cat has a baby purple hippo (teenie beanie baby) that she carries around by the scruff of it’s neck like a real baby. If she thinks she’s been left at home alone she carries Hippo around crying. So sad! 🙂
BTW – your Chili Mac & Cheese does look damn delicious! I can’t wait to try it.
As always, looks yummy. It seems a bit soupy unlike “ordinary” macaroni and cheese. I gather that is intentional?
Yes – with the addition of the chili, this is a fun twist on the traditional mac and cheese.
I too just got a new dog yesterday, a brown and tan minpin named Comet — and he is keeping me quite busy. No time in the kitchen for now and this recipe is perfect! Good luck with your new family member and thanks for all the great recipes. 🙂
Awww you have a Min Pin, I have one, too: a black & tan, his name is Boo Boo, or rather Prince Boo Boo
Similar to what we made when growing up. Used tomato juice instead of chicken broth. May try both liquids when I make. Thanks for the recipe brings back great memories. Cute puppy. Love the name. My two kitties were Honey and Barley!
Looks good and of course Butters is too precious for words.
Looks delicious – and Butters is precious!
Butters is adorable! Cannot believe you even posted after your day. You’re a new mom now…go play with your bundle of joy as much as you can and take tomorrow off!! 🙂
This is such easy mac n cheese. I rarely make it b/c it always takes me forever to make…so this is perfect!
It’s a miracle as to how I even got a post up. Last night was a whirlwind of craziness!
The recipe looks so warm and yummy. We are having lots of rain now but it is really nice to see the warm recipes.
And the expression in dog’s eyes is so soft and lovely. I have a large poodle with me now and the time with him is really nice. My dog is named as coffee. And I love the name Butters.
I love that you named your poodle after a food item too!
made this for the family last night, went down a treat with everyone including my very fussy daughter, the entire clan said they would deffo eat it again.
Thank you for adding to my recipe collection
looks good and I will try it – but why only 3/4 can of each bean? I will try using a whole can of each. Can always add more broth.
Terry, there are only 3/4 cups canned beans because 1 whole can each is a bit much with the rest of the ingredients. But feel free to use more as needed!
And it says 3/4 cup, not 3/4 can….unless that’s what it comes out to 🙂 I am making this today!! Looks fabulous and we have 8-9 inches of snow and ice and more coming tomorrow. Good day for this pot of ‘warmth’!!
I added one can of each, def. wasn’t overpowering with the other ingredients, I also found the tomatoes to not be enough, so next time two cans of tomatoes.
Hi Chungah, because of your recipe, i won a chili contest at work. I’m an Executive Assistant in Finance and am always bringing food in for my co-workers to try. We had a “tail gate” event and had a chili contest and because of your Chili Mac & Cheese dish, and my own spin with spices, I WON THE BLUE RIBBON! I served it with a creamy jalapeno sauce for extra kick and made bite size pieces of corn bread! THANK YOU … and love, love, love that Butters! If i didn’t have 2 cats, i’d consider a baby like yours! God Bless both of you and keep up the amazing work. Oh, yeah, your cookbook is to die for, CONGRATULATIONS!
Joanne,
Can you tell us more about your jalapeno cream sauce and your spinny spices?
🙂 Sounds amazeballs.
-M
Hi Chungah, just saw that you posted my comment and replied, how exciting is that! You’re amazing. I couldn’t find the recipe so i looked it up on your website and saw my note and was like WOW! So you answer your question, here is the creamy jalapeno sauce I used as a side sauce for my already spicy dish!
It makes about 1 1/4 cups
the INGREDIENTS are
5-6 jalapeños stemmed, seeded, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
5 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup neutral vegetable oil (such as grapeseed)
3/4 cup (packed) fresh cilantro leaves with tender stems
PREPARATION
Pulse jalapeños, garlic, lime juice, and salt in a blender or food processor until puréed. With motor running, slowly drizzle in oil until a thick sauce forms. Add cilantro and pulse a few times until chopped and incorporated. Taste and add more jalapeño, if necessary.
Do Ahead
Sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated.
Any my spices are a little of this and little of that. I have something called HELL FLAKES they have a nice kick! I just sprinkle and taste, sprinkle and taste till it has enough WOW factor! Thanks for asking. Wishing you and Butters a Wonderful day.
I have a (M) Sheltie, and his name is “SUNDANCE KID”, here in N. Las Vegas we have a restaurant by that name. I asked him hey you didn’t tell ma ma. I am going to try it out, oh yes he has his mother her too and they are both “SERVICE DOGGIES”. CHUNG-AH, love your recipes, and the photos of your furry family and with your husband. I also have to say you are “CUTE”.. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Made this and lost all my broth due to the noodles cooking in it. I wouldn’t cook the noodles in the broth. It’s also hard to measure out 10 ounces of noodles. It’s a guesstimate.
I also didn’t see the point of the cheese. It added no flavor to the soup just calories
It’s not supposed to be soup, it’s Chili Mac n Cheese! The broth is supposed to cook out, and you kind of need cheese in a Mac n Cheese dish!
The cheese makes it. I used medium cheddar, fabulous!
This recipe caught my eye because it had a richness not seen in the others and so I thought to give it a try. As others mentioned, 10 oz of macaroni is hard to measure out (unless you have a scale-I don’t) lemme offer my suggestions, some of which I will apply the next time I make this and some I’ve tried this go-round.
It’s important to note my suggestions are based on the fact I used 4, 1/3 lb. burger patties I had on hand- I was planning on burgers that night.
Now on to my suggestions:
1. Use 5 cups of chicken broth that way you can use the whole 16 ounce box of elbow macaroni. (I followed the 4 cups listed, but estimated the macaroni. Based on the macaroni remaining in the box and meat to macaroni ratio, I could have used the whole box with some extra chicken broth)
2. For a creamier texture, use a prego creamy cheddar cheese sauce!
3. For extra convenience I used a combination of chili seasoning, some ranch seasoning, and taco seasoning packets- again, what I had in my pantry.
4. Next time: I’ll add some red pepper flakes, and sauté jalapeño slices with onions and meat.
5. Use a meat substitute like Morning Star crumble or other and this becomes a wonderful vegetarian option! (Use vegan cheese, omit the hidden valley ranch seasoning and it’s vegan)
Thanks for the recipe!