Honey Pepper Chicken Mac (Print)

Cheesy pasta packed with crispy chicken in honey-pepper, finished with bacon and fresh basil.

# Ingredients:

→ Pasta and Chicken

01 - Fresh basil leaves, for topping
02 - Black pepper, just a bit
03 - Salt as you like
04 - 5 bacon slices, cooked then crumbled up
05 - 710 g breaded chicken strips
06 - 450 g spiral pasta, uncooked

→ Honey Pepper Sauce

07 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
08 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
09 - 15 ml vinegar
10 - Juice from 1 lemon
11 - 60 ml pineapple juice
12 - 45 ml reduced sodium soy sauce
13 - 55 g light brown sugar
14 - 180 ml honey

→ Cheese Sauce

15 - Chopped fresh basil, as much as you want
16 - 2 to 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
17 - 85 g colby jack cheese, just shredded
18 - 110 g mozzarella cheese, shredded fresh
19 - 50 g parmesan cheese, shredded
20 - 480 ml heavy cream
21 - 115 g unsalted butter

# Steps:

01 - Spoon the cheesy noodles onto each plate. Lay honey pepper chicken strips right on top. Sprinkle with extra bacon and torn basil leaves if you want.
02 - Drop the cooked chicken strips in the honey pepper sauce. Make sure they're all evenly covered and glossy.
03 - Dump the drained noodles into your cheesy sauce and mix everything up so the pasta gets coated. Toss in crumbled bacon for a punch of flavor.
04 - Grab a big pan and melt butter on medium heat. Pour in heavy cream and give it a stir. Slowly sprinkle in parmesan, mozzarella, and colby jack cheeses, stirring until it’s melty. Toss in the chopped garlic, and season with salt and black pepper if it needs it.
05 - Add honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, lemon juice, vinegar, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to a pot. Let it come to a rolling boil, then turn it down and simmer 15 minutes till it’s just a little thick. Let this cool for a bit when it's ready.
06 - Cook your spiral pasta in a pot of salted water until it’s just a little firm (al dente). Pour off all the water.
07 - Get the breaded chicken strips nice and crispy in the oven or fryer however the package tells you. Set them aside when they're done.

# Notes:

01 - Want to skip the gluten? Use gluten-free spiral noodles. Make sure your chicken strips are coated in gluten-free breadcrumbs or almond meal.