Chicken Macaroni Southern Style (Printable)

Comforting baked macaroni with chicken, red bell peppers, cheese, and hard-boiled eggs for creamy Southern flavors.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz elbow macaroni

→ Chicken

02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 large red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1 cup frozen peas, thawed

→ Eggs

07 - 3 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped

→ Sauce

08 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
09 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
10 - 2 cups whole milk
11 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
13 - 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
14 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
15 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
16 - 1/2 tsp paprika
17 - 1/4 tsp garlic powder

→ Topping

18 - 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
19 - 1/2 cup crushed buttery crackers or panko breadcrumbs
20 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
21 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Boil macaroni in salted water until just al dente, then drain and set aside.
03 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, red bell pepper, and celery; sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Stir in peas and cook for 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to a mixing bowl.
04 - Sprinkle flour over remaining butter in skillet; whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and chicken broth until smooth. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until thickened.
05 - Remove sauce from heat. Stir in shredded sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese until melted. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
06 - Add cooked macaroni, chicken, chopped eggs, and sautéed vegetables to mixing bowl. Pour cheese sauce over and gently combine all ingredients.
07 - Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheddar cheese.
08 - Toss crushed crackers or breadcrumbs with melted butter. Evenly sprinkle over casserole surface.
09 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until bubbly and golden. Let rest for 5 minutes and garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The hard-boiled eggs create pockets of richness that surprise you in every bite.
  • Two cheeses mean the sauce has real depth instead of that one-note sharpness.
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect for something this satisfying.
02 -
  • Don't skip the al dente step with the pasta—overcooked pasta will turn mushy when it bakes, and you'll wish you'd been more careful.
  • The hard-boiled eggs need to be chopped by hand, not crushed, or they'll turn into paste and lose that little surprise texture.
03 -
  • Make the hard-boiled eggs the morning of, so they're cool when you chop them and easier to handle.
  • If your sauce seems too thin before you add the cheese, let it cook an extra minute or two—the residual heat and the cheese will thicken it up.
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