Easy Chicken Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

• 8 ounces dry macaroni
• 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole or 2% milk
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon dried mustard, optional
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs, such as panko

Directions

1. Bring a pot of salted water up to a boil, then cook the pasta until it’s al dente, or follow the package instructions. Drain it, rinse it under cold water so it stops cooking and doesn’t clump up, and put it aside.
2. Set a large pot over medium heat and add the butter. When it has melted, stir in the chopped onions and let them cook for a few minutes, until they look translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Stir the flour into the onion and garlic mixture, and let it cook for 1 minute. Pour in the milk slowly, stirring as you go; the mixture will start to thicken as the milk goes in. Once all the milk is incorporated, add the grated cheese and mustard. Keep cooking, stirring now and then, until the cheese is fully melted.
3. When the cheese has melted into the sauce, stir in the chicken and the cooked pasta. Taste it, then add salt and pepper as needed.
4. While you’re putting the pasta together, use any quiet pocket of time — while the onions cook, or while the cheese melts — to make the breadcrumbs. Melt the butter in a small skillet over low heat, then stir in the breadcrumbs until everything is evenly mixed. Keep stirring over low heat until the breadcrumbs are browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Take them off the heat and let them cool. You can also toast the breadcrumbs ahead of time and keep them in an airtight container.
5. Spoon the cheesy chicken macaroni straight from the pot while it’s extra creamy, and finish it with the crispy breadcrumbs.