High-Protein Hot Honey Crispy Chicken Mac & Cheese

High-Protein | Meal Prep Friendly | Oven-Baked

This High-Protein Hot Honey Crispy Chicken Mac & Cheese is the ultimate comfort food meal prep. Crispy breaded chicken tossed in a sweet and spicy hot honey buffalo sauce, piled over the creamiest mac & cheese... SO good. The ultimate comfort meal while still giving you a really satisfying and protein-packed.

I love making recipes like this because eating high-protein absolutely does NOT have to mean another boring chicken and rice bowl. The avocado mayo helps keep the chicken super juicy while the breadcrumbs get golden and crispy in the oven, and that creamy mac & cheese makes the whole thing so so good. This is definitely one I’d make a double batch of!

What You Need

Crispy Chicken

700 g boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 large egg
2 tbsp avocado mayo
Organic breadcrumbs or panko, as needed
Avocado oil spray 

Hot Honey Buffalo Sauce

10 g butter
100 ml Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Sauce
50 g honey
Dash of cayenne pepper 

Creamy Mac & Cheese

8 oz elbow macaroni, uncooked (i love kaslo sourdough pasta)

Cheese Sauce

2 tbsp salted butter
2 tbsp arrowroot starch
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 cup organic whole milk
¼ cup organic sour cream or Greek yogurt
8 oz (2 cups) organic cheddar cheese, freshly shredded 

Method

Make the Crispy Chicken

Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the diced chicken to a large bowl and season with the sea salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika.

Add the egg and avocado mayo and toss until every piece of chicken is evenly coated.

Add the organic breadcrumbs or panko to a separate shallow bowl. Working in batches, coat the chicken pieces in the breadcrumbs, pressing gently so the coating adheres.

Arrange the breaded chicken in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each piece. Generously spray with avocado oil.

Bake for 12 minutes, then flip the chicken pieces and lightly spray with avocado oil again. Return to the oven and bake for another 8–10 minutes, or until golden, crispy, and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.

For an extra-crispy finish, switch the oven to broil for 1–2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.

Make the Hot Honey Buffalo Sauce

While the chicken finishes cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat.

Add the Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Sauce, honey, and a dash of cayenne pepper.

Whisk together and gently simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the honey is completely incorporated and the sauce is smooth and glossy.

Remove from the heat.

Add the crispy cooked chicken and gently toss until every piece is evenly coated in the hot honey buffalo sauce.

Make the Creamy Mac & Cheese

Cook the macaroni in salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.

Whisk in the arrowroot starch, sea salt, and garlic powder until smooth.

Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce begins to thicken.

Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the sour cream or Greek yogurt until smooth.

Add the freshly shredded cheddar a little at a time, stirring until completely melted and creamy. Do not allow the sauce to boil.

Add the cooked macaroni and stir until evenly coated.

Assemble

Divide the creamy mac & cheese evenly between meal prep containers.

Top each serving with the crispy hot honey chicken.

For the best meal-prep texture, you can store the chicken separately and add it to the mac & cheese after reheating.

Notes

You can use organic breadcrumbs or panko depending on the texture you prefer. Panko will give you a slightly lighter, crunchier coating.

Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet. Giving the chicken space allows the coating to crisp rather than steam.

For the crispiest meal-prep chicken, store it separately from the mac & cheese and reheat it in the air fryer or oven before serving.

Keep the cheese sauce over low heat and avoid letting it boil once the dairy and cheese are added to keep it smooth and creamy.

For extra heat, increase the cayenne in either the chicken seasoning or hot honey buffalo sauce.

Recipe by Taylor Robinson | Holistic Health & Wellness Chef | Dishing with Tay