Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe (2024)

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An easy, fun copycat, this Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe is super easy, oh so tasty and taste just like what you would get from the restaurant.

Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe (1)

I’m a sucker for Chick-fil-A, if I’m going to get fast food, that is the spot that we hit up the most. But I also love to recreate some of my restaurant favorites and this Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe is one of them.

We have been making this recreation for the longest time, and after many trials and errors, we had gotten the perfect flavor and texture that aligns with the restaurant.

Now, this is our go-to Mac and Cheese Recipe whenever that craving calls. Plus making your own copycat recipes saves money and drive time, how can you go wrong with that!?

Honestly, when it comes to this recipe you just can’t go wrong. It has readily available ingredients and it is super quick to make, I love quick and easy and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t!

If you love a good comforting recipe that tastes like one of your favorite restaurants, then you need to make my Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe.

Some of my other favorite Mac and Cheese recipes that we have on our site include: Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Cornbread Crust, Chili Cheese Dog Mac and Cheese and Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese.

Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe (2)

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

  • Ready in about 30 minutes!
  • Easily available ingredients.
  • Makes a nice large batch to feed the whole family.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE BELOW):

Elbow macaroni
Butter
All-purpose flour
Salt
Paprika
Whole milk
Egg yolk
American cheese
Extra sharp cheddar cheese
Italian blend cheese

Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe (3)

HOW TO MAKE A CHICK-FIL-A MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni noodles and boil for 20 minutes, no that is not a typo, cook this pasta for 20 minutes.
  2. Drain the macaroni and set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. In a large pot over medium heat melt your butter. Whisk in the flour, salt and paprika, stirring constantly.
  4. To that add your milk a little at a time, whisking it in completely before adding more.
  5. Once all the milk has been added, whisk for 1-2 minutes until the sauce is thick.
  6. In a small bowl place your egg yolk. Add a spoonful of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolk and immediately whisk together.
  7. Add the egg yolk mixture to the pot of the milk mixture and whisk in.
  8. Turn the heat down to low and begin to add your cheese.Tear the american cheese into pieces and add to the pot. Add in half of the cheddar and all of the italian blend.
  9. Stir to combine and melt the cheeses.
  10. When the cheese is all melted and smooth add in the noodles.Stir gently until everything is combined.
  11. Place the macaroni and cheese in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  12. Top the macaroni and cheese with the other half of the cheddar cheese.
  13. Place under the broiler of your oven until just browned. Do not take your eyes off of it or it will burn!
  14. Once the cheese is browned remove from the oven and serve!

Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe (4)

DO I REALLY HAVE TO COOK THE PASTA FOR 20 MINUTES?

You must cook the noodles for 20 minutes! I know it goes against everything you’ve ever been taught about cooking pasta, but cooking the pasta this long prevents the noodles from absorbing too much cheese sauce and making the dish dry. It helps the recipe stay nice and creamy.

WHAT IS THE BEST CHEESE TO USE?

We use a variety of cheese in this recipe, including American, extra sharp cheddar, and an Italian blend. Chick-fil-A uses parmesan and Romano, so that is why we use the Italian blend.

You can use another cheese blend if you like, but we like this mixture as it really gives it the flavor that comes closest to what we are looking for.

DO I HAVE TO USE WHOLE MILK?

Yes, do not switch this for any other milk. Since whole milk is slightly thicker than your other milks it helps produce that creamy texture that we want for this recipe.

Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe (5)

HOW TO STORE:

This can be stored in the dish covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 3 days.

This can also be frozen, place plastic wrap and then foil over the baking dish and place in the freezer where it will keep for up to 3 months.

To defrost, remove to the refrigerator overnight, to reheat you can either place covered in the oven until heated through or portion out and microwave it until heated through.

TIPS AND TRICKS:

  • This makes a nice large batch, you can halve this if you’d like.
  • Make sure you use whole milk, do not substitute it.
  • Freshly shredding your cheese from the block is best.
  • This can be frozen, see above on how to do that.
  • Try not to switch up the cheese as this is a good flavor.
  • Yes you really need to cook your pasta for 20 minutes, see above on why.

Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe (6)

Love a good takeout meal but don’t want to waste the time or money? Then you absolutely have to make my Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe, filling, tasty, and everyone loves it.

If you like this recipe you might also like:

  • Chick-fil-A Grilled Chicken Club
  • Pizza Hut Cheese Sticks
  • Southwest Egg Rolls

If you’ve tried this CHICK-FIL-A MAC AND CHEESE RECIPE let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!

Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe (7)

Rate this Recipe

Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe

4.93 from 248 votes

Created by Dana at ThisSillyGirlsKitchen.com

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Servings 8

An easy, fun copycat, this Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe is super easy, oh so tasty and taste just like what you would get from the restaurant.

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni noodles and boil for 20 minutes, no that is not a typo, cook this pasta for 20 minutes.

    1 pound elbow macaroni

  • Drain the macaroni and set aside.

  • Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. In a large pot over medium heat melt your butter. Whisk in the flour, salt and paprika, stirring constantly.

    ¼ cup butter, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground paprika

  • To that add your milk a little at a time, whisking it in completely before adding more.

    2 cups whole milk

  • Once all the milk has been added, whisk for 1-2 minutes until the sauce is thick.

  • In a small bowl place your egg yolk. Add a spoonful of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolk and immediately whisk together.

    1 egg yolk

  • Add the egg yolk mixture to the pot of the milk mixture and whisk in.

  • Turn the heat down to low and begin to add your cheese.Tear the american cheese into pieces and add to the pot. Add in half of the cheddar and all of the italian blend.

    8 slices American cheese, 16 ounces freshly grated extra sharp cheddar cheese, 1 cup italian blend cheese

  • Stir to combine and melt the cheeses.

  • When the cheese is all melted and smooth add in the noodles.Stir gently until everything is combined.

  • Place the macaroni and cheese in a 9x13-inch baking dish.

  • Top the macaroni and cheese with the other half of the cheddar cheese.

  • Place under the broiler of your oven until just browned. Do not take your eyes off of it or it will burn!

  • Once the cheese is browned remove from the oven and serve!

Video

Notes

  1. This makes a nice large batch, you can halve this if you'd like.
  2. Make sure you use whole milk, do not substitute it.
  3. Freshly shredding your cheese from the block is best.
  4. This can be frozen, see above on how to do that.
  5. Try not to switch up the cheese as this is a good flavor.
  6. Yes you really need to cook your pasta for 20 minutes, see above on why.

Nutrition

Calories: 674kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 1112mg | Potassium: 298mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1091IU | Calcium: 741mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

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Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What kind of mac and cheese does Chick-Fil-A use? ›

A classic macaroni and cheese recipe featuring a special blend of cheeses including Parmesan, Cheddar, and Romano. Baked in-restaurant to form a crispy top layer of baked cheese. Nutrition information is calculated using standard product formulations and incorporates multiple data sources.

Is mac and cheese from Chick-Fil-A healthy? ›

“Even the small serving contains 9 grams of saturated fat (almost half of your day's allotment if you consume 2,000 calories per day) and almost one third of your daily sodium intake.” But just because it isn't considered a health food, doesn't mean that you can't enjoy it every now and then.

How much is a large order of mac and cheese at Chick-Fil-A? ›

Business Insider reports that the fast-food chain experimented with a number of different mac and cheese recipes, including one that featured cauliflower, before settling on this one. The price for a side order of mac and cheese differs per market, but starts at $2.79 for a medium-sized side and $4.39 for a large side.

How much protein is in mac and cheese from Chick-Fil-A? ›

Chick-fil-a Mac & Cheese Medium (1 serving) contains 28g total carbs, 25g net carbs, 29g fat, 20g protein, and 450 calories.

What kind of cheese sauce does Chick-fil-A use? ›

Chick-fil-A's secret cheesy dipping sauce

Sporting a gooey mixture of melted Swiss and parmesan, the condiment is available at select Chick-fil-A locations and makes a great pairing for the chain's famous waffle fries and nuggets, according to Southern Living.

Which is healthier Chick-fil-A mac and cheese or fries? ›

In terms of the least healthy side dish at Chick-fil-A, Wheeler says that this honor goes to the mac and cheese, which has more calories than the fries. “It had 29 grams of fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 1,190 milligrams of sodium, and only three grams of fiber,” Wheeler says.

What is the most unhealthy side at Chick-fil-A? ›

"The Chick-fil-A Mac and Cheese is one of the worst choices on the menu," says Amanda Lane, MS, RD, CDCES, founder of Healthful Lane Nutrition. Remember that a side dish is a complement to a meal, and this one adds an entire 450 calories, 16 grams of saturated fat, and 1,190 milligrams of sodium.

What is the unhealthiest thing from Chick-fil-A? ›

For something decidedly unhealthy, start the main course with Chick-fil-A's Spicy Deluxe chicken sandwich with 540 calories and 25 grams of fat. The least healthy side dish available at Chick-fil-A is the newly-introduced mac and cheese, and it's even worse than the waffle fries.

What is the healthiest item to eat at Chick-fil-A? ›

If you want to keep things healthy while ordering at Chick-fil-A, one trick is to “go grilled.” “It's made with a boneless breast of chicken, marinated in a blend of seasonings and grilled for a tender and juicy backyard-grilled taste,” said Mohr.

Is Chick-fil-A cheaper than Mcdonalds? ›

Overall Price

Chick-fil-A has slightly higher prices on certain items compared to McDonald's. Chick-fil-A has slightly lower prices on nuggets and fries when compared to McDonald's. McDonald's, however, offers a dollar menu that allows customers to get a wide variety of food for around one dollar per item.

How many people does Chick-fil-A mac and cheese feed? ›

At $33 for a tray (price can vary by location) that feeds 10 people, it's may not be the most economical decision you'll make for a dinner party.

What's the difference between Chick-fil-A small and medium mac and cheese? ›

The Mac & Cheese comes in two sizes: small (260 calories), which can be paired with an entree as a side for $2.49, or medium (440 calories), which, at $3.25, is big enough for a snack.

Can you reheat Chick-fil-A mac and cheese? ›

Storing and Reheating Chick Fil A Mac N Cheese

To reheat, place in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until hot.

How much is a medium mac and cheese at Chick-fil-A? ›

There is some price variation by location, but at one Atlanta location, the price for a small is $2.55 and a medium is $3.29. This is quite a bit more than a side of waffle potato fries (size small is $1.79, and size medium is $1.99).

Does Chick-fil-A mac and cheese have meat? ›

It is a vegetarian item on the Chick-Fil-A menu, which is especially rare for Chick-Fil-A, since it is a restaurant that primarily serves chicken. Chick-Fil-A's mac and cheese contains macaroni with a mix of cheeses including cheddar, parmesan, and romano.

Is Chick-fil-A mac and cheese frozen? ›

Chick Fil A

While the chicken behemoth does send the pasta and cheese mix frozen to locations, the dish itself is baked in-house. The cheese mix, which is cheddar and romano, is added to the pasta along with fresh cheese and cream to be baked on location every single day.

Is Chick-fil-A mac and cheese processed? ›

Read more on Chick-fil-A

"The mac and cheese tastes great, but it's very processed, and it's not something that's very special," he said. "You can easily make it at home yourself."

Is Velveeta the same as American cheese? ›

Velveeta is one of a kind, that's for sure! Since the government says it isn't technically cheese, Velveeta doesn't have an exact cheese kind. The closest flavor association would be American cheese in terms of flavor, texture, and color.

Is Chick-fil-A mac and cheese white cheddar? ›

Cheeses: According to Chick-Fil-A's website, they use three kinds of cheese in their mac and cheese: Cheddar, Romano, and Parmesan. Shred It At Home: This recipe comes out best when you shred your own cheese.

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