This Chili Cheese Mac is the ultimate comfort food! Creamy macaroni and cheese combined with hearty chili for a warm, cheesy, and satisfying one-pot meal!

Chili Cheese Mac is the perfect mash-up of two comfort food classics; macaroni and cheese and hearty chili. It is an irresistible dish that is rich, cheesy, and loaded with bold, savory flavor, making it a satisfying meal all on its own. Plus, it’s a one-pot recipe, so cleanup is fast and easy.

 

Chili mac is basically a macaroni and cheese that has ground beef and the flavors of chili all in one dish.  This chili mac recipe is nice because it all cooks in one pan. You don’t have to make two separate dishes and then combine them. Y

Whether you’re feeding a hungry family, looking for a cozy weeknight dinner, or want something guaranteed to please a crowd, this dish delivers big flavor with minimal effort.

What You’ll Need

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• Ground Beef
• Onion
• Garlic
• Chili Powder
• Ground Cumin
• Cayenne Pepper
• Brown Sugar
• Tomato Sauce
• Milk
• Dried Pasta
• Cheddar Cheese

How to Make Chili Mac and Cheese

1. Brown Meat. Start by adding your ground beef and onions to a large hot skillet.  Break the beef apart and brown until the meat is cooked and the onions are soft. This usually takes about 5 minutes.
2. Garlic. Add in the garlic and let it cook for about a minute. At this point you can start to smell it, and you don’t have to worry about it getting burnt when you are browning the meat. 
3. Add Everything. Everything but the cheese gets added. You add in all the spices, the milk, tomato sauce, and the uncooked pasta.  Mix it all together and bring it to a boil.
4. Cook. You want to cover and reduce the heat to a simmer once it starts to boil. Stir it a few times to make sure it all cooks evenly. Be careful not to let it boil over, this will curdle your milk and it will not be creamy and delicious.  So just keep an eye on the temperature. 
5. Add Cheese. After the pasta is cooked add in the cheese and stir until it is all melted.  
6. Serve. You can serve with sour cream, more cheese for topping, sliced green onions or anything else you would top your chili with.

Recipe Tips & Suggestions

• Spice. My family likes this spicy, so I tend to go a little heavy with the cayenne. But if you like it mild, just stick with the amount in the recipe. 
• Cover. Make sure to put the lid on the pan while the pasta is cooking. You want the steam to help cook the noodles and not have to add any additional liquid because it evaporates.
• Pasta. I like to use penne or rotini for this, but you can use macaroni since it is in the name. I just like the bigger pieces of pasta. But any short cut shape will work great.
• Storage. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave.
• Freezing. If I have a lot leftover I like to freeze in individual portions. They are easy to take out and let thaw for a quick and easy lunch.

Serving Suggestions

This is a pretty hearty meal, so you may not need a lot on the side.  But here are a few easy and quick ideas.

• Tossed Salad
• Cornbread
• Roasted Asparagus
• Biscuits

More Easy Dinner Recipes

• One Pan Spinach Chicken Alfredo
• Cheeseburger Macaroni
• Homemade Hamburger Helper Lasagna
• Mexican Skillet Potatoes
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

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