Cheesy Chicken Macaroni Casserole (Baked Mac and Cheese)

Creamy, cheesy sauce with macaroni and chicken topped with lots of cheese and crispy layer of crumbs... What a Combo!

elbow macaroni 1/2 pound (200 gm) 

chicken small chucks 1 to 1 1/2 cup

butter 3 tbsp

all purpose flour 3 tbsp

milk 3 cups

onion 1/2 cup

paprika 1/2 tsp

mustard powder 1 tbsp

egg 1 

cheddar cheese 12 oz (approx 1 1/2 cups)

salt 1/2 tsp (to taste)

black pepper 1/2 tsp (to taste)

Topping:

butter 3 tbsp

bread crumbs 1 cup 

Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta as per packet instructions

Separately heat tsp of butter/oil, add chicken chunks add dash of salt and black pepper and fry till done.

In a separate pot, melt the butter. 

Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Add onion, paprika, salt and black pepper.

Make sure it's free of lumps.  Stir in the milk Simmer for ten minutes or until thicken

Temper in the egg, which means, whisk egg, add about 1 to 2 tbsp of sauce in egg... and stir immediately.. then mix that egg mixture in sauce and stir until combined

(If you directly add egg in sauce it scrambled the egg)

Then stir in quarter of the cheese and cooked chicken. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into casserole dish

Top with remaining cheese. For topping melt butter and toss the bread crumbs to coat

top the macaroni with bread crumbs, bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.