Description
A comforting bowl of creamy mac and cheese with air-fried chicken thighs and a sweet and spicy honey sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 3/4 cup Wholesome Yum Keto Honey Substitute
- 1/4 cup 100% Pineapple Juice
- 1/4 cup Light Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Splenda Brown Sugar
- 3 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/3 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 8 oz Al Dente Carba Nada Cavatappi (dry)
- 3/8 cup Lite Shredded Mozzarella (Trader Joe’s)
- 3/8 cup Lite Shredded 3 Cheese Blend (Trader Joe’s)
- 2 wedges Light Laughing Cow Creamy Cheese
- 2 tbsp Grated Parmesan
- 1–1/2 slices Velveeta Cheese
- 1/2 cup Fat Free Evaporated Milk
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Begin by cutting your chicken into bite-sized pieces and placing them in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, whisk together your sauce ingredients: keto honey substitute, pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a quick boil, then turn off the heat.
- Pour just less than half of the sauce over the chicken, mix well, and place in the fridge to marinate for 15-30 minutes.
- While the chicken marinates, grate your parmesan cheese and measure out your shredded cheeses. Open your Laughing Cow cheese wedges and tear your Velveeta into smaller pieces.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) and air fry the chicken in two batches for 15 minutes each, making sure to move the pieces around halfway through. Once done, transfer the cooked chicken to a clean mixing bowl.
- In a separate pot, start boiling your pasta according to the package instructions.
- Once your pasta is done boiling, drain it and return it to the pot. Pour in the fat-free evaporated milk and add all of your cheeses with a sprinkle of extra black pepper. Mix until the cheeses melt and become silky smooth.
- Quickly reheat the remaining sauce, then pour it over the cooked chicken, mixing to ensure every piece is fully coated.
- Start assembling your cozy lunch containers by layering the cheesy pasta first, followed by the succulent chicken. Top with parsley if you wish!
- And now, it’s time to ENJOY!
Notes
Make-ahead: Marinate the chicken a day in advance for deeper flavors. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Air frying and cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 70mg