Green Chile Mac & Cheese

At a glance

What stands out: You’ll only need 5 ingredients to make this straightforward green chile mac and cheese recipe. Canned diced green chiles add an exciting new twist to plain mac and cheese.

How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep (including time to boil the macaroni, 45 minutes to bake
Equipment you’ll need: large saucepan, mixing bowl, large baking dish
Servings: 6

This green chile mac and cheese recipe is similar to our easiest ever baked macaroni and cheese which so many of you have tried and loved. We answer a lot of standard questions on that post which will also apply here, so be sure to take a look at that recipe, too!

Straightforward Mac & Cheese Recipe

Only 5 ingredients! Okay, we didn’t count salt and pepper, but really, all you need to make this mac and cheese is macaroni (either whole wheat or regular), canned green chiles, lots of shredded cheese, a little bit of flour, and milk. It’s wholesome and not over-processed like many commercial products.

So straightforward to mix. If you can make boxed macaroni, you can make this macaroni and cheese. It’s that straightforward! You don’t need to make a roux, you don’t have to make a white sauce, there’s no butter, it’s just so dang straightforward! (Be sure to try our chili mac, too! It’s a stovetop recipe that’s made in just one pan!)

Jeanne Said:

“we have actually made this twice and it is rich!!! We use plain macaroni. We love your recipes!”

See More Reader Reviews

How it comes together

Cook the macaroni. Start by boiling the pasta. We like to use whole wheat, but if white pasta is your thing, go for it! Follow the cooking instructions on the package. Cook the pasta just until it’s tender. It will get softer when it bakes in the oven.

Mix in the cheese. While the pasta is cooking, shred the cheese. In a large mixing bowl mix some of the cheese with a couple tablespoons of flour. That keeps it from sticking together and it helps thicken the sauce. Add the canned green chiles and the hot macaroni. Immediately mix it all together.

Add milk. Put the macaroni mixture into a greased baking dish and smooth out the top. Pour the milk over the top. Don’t stir it. Cover the top with foil.

Bake. The magic happens while you bake this macaroni and cheese! It turns into a creamy, cheesy, flavorful concoction. The green chiles add the reliable amount of flavor! You can bet this mac and cheese will quickly disappear.

Make Ahead

If you’d like to prep this casserole ahead of time, here’s how to do it. Cook the pasta and mix it with all the other ingredients except the milk, and put it in the baking dish. Cover the dish with foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake the casserole, get it out of the fridge a half hour ahead of time, to let the glass pan come to room temperature. Pour the milk on top, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake as directed.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate/Freeze: Leftover macaroni and cheese can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. It can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. We like to freeze it in a resealable freezer bag and flatten it out. It thaws quickly when you’re ready to reheat it.

Reheat: Use the microwave to gently reheat the mac and cheese on medium power. Don’t overheat it. If it seems a little dry, add a splash of milk and stir it in.

• Yield: 6
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 45 minutes
• Total: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 box (13.25 ounces) whole wheat elbow macaroni (see note)
• 4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided ( 16 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cans (4 ounces each) diced green chiles (mild or hot, depending on what you prefer)
• 1 ¾ cups milk (whole milk, 2% or lowfat)

Method

1. Cook macaroni in salted water as instructed on the package, until just tender, drain well.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a large casserole dish or a 9 × 13 inch baking dish, or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In a large mixing bowl, lightly toss together 2½ cups of the shredded cheese with flour and pepper.
4. Add the green chiles and drained hot macaroni to the bowl, and immediately stir to combine. Transfer the mixture into the greased dish, smoothing it out evenly.
5. Pour the milk over macaroni. Don't stir it in. Top with remaining 1½ cups cheese. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, and remove the foil (see baking tip). Bake an additional 15 minutes or until set in the middle and golden brown on top. To test if it's done, poke a knife in the center. If it seems like there is a lot of liquid, it may not be quite done. Keep in mind that some of the liquid will soak in as the mac and cheese cools but most of it should be absorbed; however, it's best if the mac and cheese is not overcooked because then it tends to get dry.
7. Let the mac and cheese cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Macaroni: You can use either whole wheat macaroni (our preference) or regular macaroni. You’ll need 3 to 3 ½ cups of uncooked macaroni.

Pro tip: For best results, shred the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-clumping additives that prevent it from melting as smoothly.

Baking tip: If you like the pasta to be softer, we recommend covering the dish with foil for the entire baking time which will prevent it from browning on top and getting crisp. If you like a crisp crust on top, you can bake it uncovered the entire time. We keep it covered for 30 minutes, and uncover it for the last 15 minutes.

Spicy mac and cheese: Use hot canned green chiles instead of mild, or make this recipe with pepper jack cheese.

Nutrition note: The information below is calculated using 2% milk.