curry mac and cheese with chicken
Curry mac and cheese brings out the best of both worlds! This fusion dish beautifully marries complex flavor profile of curry with the classic cheesy casserole creating one epic meal. The almond breadcrumb topping garnished with crispy bacon, jalapeño slices and fresh cilantro perfectly accents this flavor packed comfort food making it hard to not go back for seconds!
History of Mac and Cheese
Besides being passionate about politics, founding father Thomas Jefferson was also a huge foodie! Hiring a private French chef has always came with a high price tag so when Jefferson went to France in 1784 he brought one of his slaves, James Hemings, to train under French caterers and pastry chefs. Hemings was the first American to train as a chef in France and even though France had a law that any slave would have the right for freedom he returned back to Virginia. Hemings transformed American cuisine and was the mastermind behind Jefferson’s beloved macaroni and cheese recipe. Unfortunately only a few years after successfully negotiating his freedom from Jefferson, Hemings took his own life at 36 years old leaving behind only recipes and kitchen tools. Now let’s get back to mac and cheese!
How to make curry mac and cheese?
Preheat oven to 425f and butter a baking dish. Coat chicken thighs with little bit of olive oil and season with salt, curry powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, sichuan chili powder, and coriander. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes and set aside. Bake the bacon slices on a separate baking sheet until crispy, about 15 minutes. Set aside. Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook macaroni according to package directions. Once done, drain and rinse the pasta with cold water. Meanwhile melt 5 tbsp butter in a large dutch oven over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Cook for about 4 minutes until the color starts to turn golden, then add the curry paste and diced jalapeños and cook for another minute. Pour in milk and coconut cream, whisk until smooth and bring to boil. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes occasionally whisking, then turn off the heat and add the shredded cheeses. Stir until smooth. Chop up the chicken thighs into bite size pieces. Add the chicken and cooked macaroni in the sauce and mix until evenly coated. Then transfer it in the buttered baking dish. Set oven to broil. In a small bowl mix together breadcrumbs, chopped almonds, and 2 tbsp melted butter. Sprinkle on top of the mac and cheese, then broil for about 50 seconds until golden. Dice the bacon into small pieces, then garnish the Mac and cheese with the bacon, cilantro, and sliced jalapeños. Serve hot!