Macaroni and Cheese With Chicken and Vegetables (Easy One-Pan Recipe)

This one skillet macaroni and cheese recipe is loaded with fresh vegetables, juicy rotisserie chicken and jam packed with comfort and nutrition. It’s a jazzed up version of your favorite mac and cheese dish that you can feel good about eating.

I live for healthy comfort food. This take on a traditional macaroni and cheese dish is the epitome of nutrition and feel-good good aligning in a very beautiful way. Creamy, dreamy macaroni and cheese is my absolute favorite comfort dish.

With this version of mac and cheese you can be assured that you’re still getting all that creamy goodness, yet this vegetable macaroni and cheese is loaded with fresh veggies and packed with protein so your body will thank you endlessly.

With whole wheat pasta, creamy cheddar cheese, and mix of hearty, crisp vegetables, juicy rotisserie chicken this healthy macaroni and cheese is irresistibly good.

I made this skillet mac and cheese with rotisserie chicken because it’s easy and makes a wonderful all-in-one weeknight meal. You can make this as a side dish or a meatless dinner any day of the week! It’s the best mac and cheese recipe because it’s so flexible; you can toss in some cooked cut-up steak or shrimp for a filling one stop shop meal! And the best part? This veggie mac and cheese all comes together in one skillet!

Ingredients for skillet macaroni and cheese with chicken and veggies

To make this healthy comfort mac and cheese dish, you’ll need just a few ingredients that you can get at almost any grocery store or even online.

Here’s what we are working with:

• red bell pepper
• zucchini
• garlic powder
• Italian seasoning
• milk
• gluten-free all-purpose flour
• light cream cheese spread
• shredded cheddar cheese
• whole grain elbow macaroni
• cooked (rotisserie) chicken
• cherry tomatoes

How to make macaroni and cheese with chicken and vegetables

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and bell pepper along with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook 5-7 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer mixture to a bowl.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk and flour. Add the milk mixture and cream cheese to the skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
3. Gradually add in one and half cups of the cheddar cheese; constantly whisking until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.
4. Stir in macaroni and zucchini mixture. Fold in chicken and top with tomatoes and remaining cheese. Broil 5-6 minutes or until tomatoes are softened.

Can I make veggie mac and cheese low carb dish?

Yes! To make this vegetable macaroni and cheese dish work on a low carb or keto diet, you would need to make a few substitutions. Instead of 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, you could use 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder. Generally speaking, this veggie mac and cheese is a low carb dish. I used Dreamfield’s Healthy Carb Living elbow macaroni pasta when I made this vegetable macaroni and cheese. To make this keto-friendly, you could eliminate the pasta altogether or use hearts of palm pasta instead. With the combination of veggies in this mac and cheese dish along the rotisserie chicken, I promise that with or without noodles you will walk away with a hearty and nutritious comfort dish.

Can I meal prep veggie macaroni and cheese?

YES! This one-skillet veggie mac and cheese makes one incredible meal prep! This may be one of my favorite meal preps of all time! It’s easy, low carb, and loaded with nutrition and flavor. You will want to divide the skillet macaroni and cheese into 4 meal prep containers and get ready for one delicious week of prepped lunches!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. It’s definitely one of those recipes worth saving. There’s nothing better than having what looks and tastes like a gourmet meal on the table, but one that saves you time behind the scenes. 

Please leave us a star review and comment if you make this family loved recipe. 

If you have any questions or comments, feel free leave them below. I answer every single question as quickly as I can.

Happy cooking! And thanks for being part of our tribe, The Tasteful Tribe!

ENJOY!

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