Cooking with the Kids #5 - Chicken & Chorizo Mac Cheese (with Flora Buttery)

This was Jack's choice, but it is something the whole family loves! Pasta and cheese sauces of any kind go down well with us. It was Jack's idea to add the chorizo and chicken too, and I think he made a good call!

This had to be one for Jack because it's all hot stuff, but he was very careful bending the cheese sauce, and did a great job of layering up the meats.

The kids loved it because it's pasta and cheese! I loved the fact that using Flora instead of butter cut down a little of the sat fats (shame they don't to a flora cheesy!). Hubby loved the secret layer of meat he wasn't expecting!

5 clean plates at the end. Can't say better than that.

Macaroni Cheese with Chicken & Chorizo

Serves 4-6 | Prep time: 15mins | Cooking Time: 15mins

Ingredients

2 tbsp of Flora Buttery
2 tbsp plain flour
500ml / 1 pint milk
1 bay leaf
1 tsp mustard powder
pinch cayenne
grated nutmeg
150g / 5oz grated mature cheddar cheese
Salt & Pepper
320g / 11oz macaroni pasta
240g chicken pieces
100 chorizo, sliced

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350F / GM 4
2. Boil the pasta in salted water
3. While that's cooking, melt the Flora Buttery in a pan, add the flour and stir to form a paste. Gradually whisk in the milk to form a smooth sauce.
4. Stir in the seasonings and 2/3 of the cheese, simmer gently for 10-15 mins.
5. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and tip half of it into a baking dish.
6. Layer on the chicken and chorizo
7. Add the last of the pasta
8. Pour over the cheese sauce and sprinkle on the last of the cheese.
9. Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins until bubbling and golden.

This is lovely on it's own, or served with a green salad and garlic bread.