Description
A delicious and hearty High Protein Honey Garlic Butter Chicken served with creamy homemade mac & cheese. This recipe combines tender chicken bites glazed in a sweet and savory honey garlic butter sauce with rich, cheesy macaroni for a comforting dinner that’s packed with protein and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Mac & Cheese
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups skim milk
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons butter (for roux)
- Chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the Macaroni: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add elbow macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 8-9 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare Honey Garlic Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together honey, low-sodium soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and crushed red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- Cook Chicken: Season chicken pieces with salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked through, stirring occasionally.
- Add Garlic: Reduce heat to medium. Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- Glaze Chicken: Pour the honey garlic sauce over the chicken and stir well to coat. Let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and forms a glossy glaze on the chicken. Remove from heat.
- Make Cheese Sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute to make a roux. Gradually whisk in the skim milk, continuing to whisk until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add Cheese: Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in shredded cheddar and grated Parmesan cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Combine Macaroni and Cheese Sauce: Toss the cooked macaroni with the cheese sauce until well coated.
- Serve: Plate a generous serving of mac and cheese, then top with the honey garlic butter chicken. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- For extra protein, substitute regular macaroni with chickpea or lentil-based pasta.
- You can enhance the protein content of the cheese sauce by stirring in a scoop of unflavored whey protein powder.
- Add steamed broccoli or fresh spinach into the mac and cheese for added nutrition and color.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes to your spice preference or omit for a milder dish.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce to control sodium intake.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 640
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 890 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 48 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
