Curried Chicken Mac and Cheese with Spiced Coconut Topping
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Why I Love This Recipe
Back where I grew up, Indonesia, you practically can't cook without coconut. It's in almost every dish. One of my favorite was coconut floss, shredded coconut cooked in spices until really dry. After moving to US, I found out that I like mac and cheese really well, especially the homemade kind. Adding coconut topping makes this dish quite a treat to me.
Ingredients You'll Need
Topping
1-1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 ounces toasted sweetened shredded coconut
Macaroni and cheese
8 ounces elbow macaroni
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Thai yellow curry paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2-1/2 cups light coconut milk
1-1/2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
8 ounces diced rotisserie chicken
Directions
1. For topping: melt butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt. Cook and stir for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Remove from heat; stir in coconut. Set aside.
2. Cook macaroni according to package direction; drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 350F.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, cook onion in hot butter until tender. Stir in flour, curry paste, salt and pepper. Whisk for 30 seconds. Gradually, whisk in coconut milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; whisk in cheeses until completely melted. Stir in macaroni and chicken. Transfer mixture to a 2-quart casserole.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Serve with topping mixture.