Frozen butternut squash cubes add richness and nutrition to this easy one-pot macaroni and cheese dish. We added chicken breast and baby kale to make it a complete meal. Replace with spinach or chopped chard, if desired. By using whole-grain macaroni, you can increase the fiber content by about 3 grams per serving. (1)
Active time: 15 minutes Total time: 30 minutes
Creamy Mac n Cheese with Chicken and Kale
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 454g boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized strips
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups (473 g) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup (237 g) 2% milk
- 1 10 oz. (284g) package of frozen butternut squash
- 2 tsp dry mustard
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 1/4 cups (284 g) whole wheat macaroni
- 3 cups (85g) baby kale
- 1 1/4 cups (113 g) sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Directions
Heat the oil in a large pot or skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and cook without stirring for 2 minutes. Add the onions, stir, and continue cooking until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, 3 minutes. Place in a bowl and cover.
Add broth, milk, pumpkin, mustard, and bay leaf to pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Mash the squash with a potato masher until mostly smooth. Add the noodles and stir. Cover, reduce heat and cook for 6 minutes, stirring once. Fold in the chicken-onion mixture and kale with a rubber spatula, cover, and cook until the kale is wilted, 2 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir the cheese and nutritional yeast into the pasta. Serve immediately.
Servings: 6 | Serving Size: 1 cup
Nutritional values
Originally published November 20, 2018; Updated February 2026
The post Creamy Mac n Cheese with Chicken and Kale appeared first MyFitnessPal Blog.
