Cauliflower Chicken Mac And Cheese

Published 10/7/2020 • Updated 9/15/2022

We Love Mac!

We are big mac and cheese fans here at Fit Foodie Finds and we’re also big chicken casserole fans. Get excited because this recipe fuses the two and gives it a healthy twist! Chicken Mac and Cheese is a popular dinner recipe and we’re making things a little bit better for you by adding cauliflower! It’s also gluten-free, which is a bonus for those that are celiac!

Noodle Time

One thing we really wanted to make sure of when testing this cauliflower chicken mac and cheese was to make the prep as easy as possible. This is why you’ll notice the noodles go into the casserole dish completely raw. There is no boiling involved! Gluten Free Noodles: I also wanted to note the type of noodle we used – gluten-free. We only tested this recipe with one specific noodle. I repeat, one specific noodle and it’s the truRoots macaroni elbows. Since these are not made with gluten or white flour, they are going to cook differently than normal elbows. Note: Just beware that your bake time might vary based on the noodle used!

Casserole Equation

Like the rest of the casseroles on Fit Foodie Finds, we followed our casserole equation: vegetables + protein + whole grains. We do this to make sure we’re covering all of our bases and getting all the food groups in one meal. Other ingredients include:

chicken breastcauliflowercheese sauceoptional toppings: whole wheat bread crumbs and BACON

Make sure you follow all of our baking tips and directions in the written recipe. They’re essential to make sure your noodles don’t come out mushy from over baking!

Can You Make this Vegan?

While you probably can make this vegan, we 100% don’t suggest it. You’d not only have to remove the chicken, but also recreate the entire cheese sauce to make it dairy-free.

How to Store Mac and Cheese

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container, such as a glass pyrex, for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Freezer: If you plan to freeze, we suggest baking this in a disposable/aluminum casserole dish. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of cooked, cooled casserole and press out all of the air. Then, wrap the entire casserole in tin foil and place in the freezer. Write the name and date of casserole in the tin foil. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months. To Reheat: take the frozen casserole out of the freezer and let thaw in the fridge overnight. Either reheat single servings of the casserole in the microwave or reheat the entire thing in the oven (we suggest 375ºF for 20 minutes).