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Erica’s Easy Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

December 11, 2023

I dislike most homemade baked macaroni and cheese.  In my opinion, it is often too dry and just not creamy or cheesy enough.

Well in this very creamy dish, there is a secret cheat to achieving the ooey and gooey delicious, cheesiness that I desire. That secret ingredient is Cream of Chicken soup.

This recipe gives you a basic outline of what to add. Feel free to add or substitute some additional cheeses to personalize this recipe to what you want, just don’t skip the cream of chicken soup.

Prep:20 mins
Cook:30 mins
Total:50 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 lb elbow macaroni noodles, (1 box), cooked and cooled
  • 10¾ oz cream of chicken soup, (2 cans)
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, powdered or shredded
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • Optional chopped parsley or chives

 

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F then cook macaroni noodles in salted water according to package directions for al dente.
  2. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and melt butter. Then, add flour and whisk into a roux. Then add milk & soup. Continue whisking then add half of the cheddar cheese.
  3. Cook over medium heat or until melted, stirring occasionally.
  4. Place drained noodles in a casserole pan and pour cheese sauce over. Stir to mix sauce throughout. Sprinkle remaining cheddar and parmesan on top.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes.
  6. Serve your creamy chicken mac and cheese.

 If desired top with more cheese and parmesan. Garnish with chopped parsley, chives, or even bacon bits! My family loves it when I bake in half a package of little smokies.

I love Gruyère. If you decide to use it in combination with or in place of the cheddar then I recommend that you buy a block of the Gruyère cheese and shred it yourself. Due to the preservatives in pre-packaged cheese, it often won’t melt well when added to dishes. Store-bought grated cheeses, like parmesan, mozzarella, and cheddar, are often packaged with preservatives like potato starch and natamycin. These preservatives will also take away from the flavor and texture of the natural cheese.