Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: You’ll only need 5 ingredients to make this easy 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 very similar to my easiest ever baked macaroni and cheese which so many of you have tried and loved. I 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!
Easy Mac & Cheese Recipe
Only 5 ingredients! Okay, I 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 easy to make. If you can make boxed macaroni, you can make this macaroni and cheese. It’s that easy! 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 easy!
How To Make Green Chile Mac and Cheese
Cook the macaroni. Start by boiling the pasta. I 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 perfect amount of flavor! You can bet this mac and cheese will quickly disappear.
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.
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. I 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.
More Mac and Cheese Recipes
Green Chile Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pkg. (13.25 ounces) whole wheat elbow macaroni (regular macaroni is fine, too)
- 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)
Instructions
- Cook macaroni in salted water, as instructed on the package, until just tender, drain well.1 pkg. (13.25 ounces) whole wheat elbow macaroni
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a large casserole dish or a 9 × 13 inch baking dish, or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, lightly toss together 2½ cups of the shredded cheese with flour and pepper.4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 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.2 cans (4 ounces each) diced green chiles
- Pour the milk over macaroni. Don't stir it in. Top with remaining 1½ cups cheese. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.1 ¾ cups milk
- 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.
- Let the mac and cheese cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- 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, I 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 really crisp crust on top, you can bake it uncovered the entire time. I keep it covered for 30 minutes, and uncover it for the last 15 minutes.
- Spicy mac and cheese: Use hot chiles instead of milk, or make this recipe with pepper jack cheese.
- Nutrition note: The information below is calculated using 2% milk.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
So easy and really delicious! Thank you for the perfect side dish!
So glad you liked it!
Could you use whole milk? Thanks!!
Absolutely! That will be delicious!
I can confirm that whole milk in this recipe is delicious (and quite filling)
So glad you liked it!
I’m looking for a recipe similar to the Chile Mac & Cheese served at Hollie’s Flatiron Grill – this sounds like it. Are you familiar with Hollie’s, and is this a similar taste? I’m going to make yours this weekend anyway, just wondering what your thoughts on it were.
I am not familiar with Hollie’s, sorry! Is that a local restaurant? I’m in Michigan. I hope you love the recipe, though! Let me know if you think it’s similar!
This was excellent! Perfect recipe. I made one adjustment and used fresh Hatch green chili as I live in New Mexico. It also added a little more heat. Bravo!!!
Very wise adjustment! I’m glad you liked this recipe! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
Making this tonight but the calorie count is way off
Thank you for your feedback! It does seem a little low; we’ll look into it.
Looks like a delicious recipe. Do you have any instructions for making this in a crock pot? I want to make mac and cheese for our Easter gathering. We usually take crock pots. I was thinking that I would make it like you instruct but instead of the oven-place it in the crock pot to cook.
Do you think this would work?
I haven’t tried this recipe in a crockpot, so I’m not sure. I’m sorry! If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out!
I’m going to make this today to go along with smoked brisket that my son-in-law is making today
I was curious if you could put bread crumbs or crushed Ritz crackers on it
You could absolutely do that! That will be great with brisket!
Made this recipe!! It’s in the oven now!! It looked delicious.going in so I can’t imagine what it will taste like out!! I’m very excited for it I loved how much easier it was than cooking my sauce with a roux and it always comes out different. Love the easy aspect.
Isn’t it ridiculously easy?! It turns out different than a roux-based mac and cheese, but I love it! I hope you did too!
Definitely less creamy that a roux version we’ve made but in the same way stove macaroni and cheese differs from the oven. I love how hands off this really was compared to other ones. It made it very easy to make dinner when my toddler was being needy. We added black beans and corn when the cheese and pasta was mixed. We also topped it with grilled chicken.
Definitely will be a go to in our house
I love the hands-off aspect of this recipe too! I love your additions to make it a hearty meal! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
This was so good and easy for a weeknight meal!
So glad you liked it, Emily!