One Pot Chili Mac n Cheese

One Pot Chili Mac n Cheese is a ground beef skillet meal the whole family enjoys! Even better, this easy chili mac skillet recipe is ready in 30 minutes.

That's right my friends, this is ONE POT chili mac which means a skillet loaded with flavor plus less dishes for you to wash. #winning

I know how challenging it can be to feed picky eaters. Sometimes, we get into a dinner rut, especially with a five year old who only wants to eat mac and cheese for dinner. Or maybe a hot dog. If she's feeling REALLY adventurous she'll go for a chicken patty or even Pizza Mac and Cheese.

So parents out there, I get your struggles. I'm right there with you!

Let me tell you about this dish that converts even the pickiest of eaters.

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WHAT IS ONE POT CHILI MAC N CHEESE?

In a word, heaven. But seriously, this is a kid-approved recipe our entire family gobbles up. It's a cross between chili and mac and cheese. Obviously.

There's a mixture of ground beef with just a little bit of onion. We gotta keep it on the down low, I get that. And of course, you can omit that if it doesn't fly with your family.

Then we add all the other ingredients - diced tomatoes with green chilies, elbow macaroni (the mac), chili powder, cumin, salt, onion and garlic powder, black and cayenne pepper go into the pot.

It's one of those pantry meals where you probably have everything you need to make this one dish wonder!

HOW TO MAKE CHILI MAC

I don't think there's a recipe much easier than this one. This is one of our family go-to's and the older kids know where to find this recipe and how to make it.

Basically, here's how you make one pot chili mac.

Brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet.

Dump everything else, except the cheese, into the skillet. They'll hang out a bit, come to a boil and then simmer on low.

This gives the flavors time to combine and cooks the pasta in the pan, which is seriously one of the best inventions ever.

Once the noodles are cooked through, add some cheese and stir it in.

That's it. You've got homemade, cheesy chili mac and you are crushing this dinnertime gig!

WHO INVENTED CHILI MAC ANYWAY?

That's a good question. According to Wikapedia, chili mac is a common dish in the Midwestern United States which makes sense since I'm sitting here in Illinois.

Wikapedia goes on to say it can be an inexpensive dish to prepare (true) and has been described as a comfort food (again, agreed).

Several variations of the dish exist, and prepared canned and boxed versions also exist.

Yes, several variations exist. My neighbors is probably different than mine.

I have also seen chili mac casserole versions, but if you don't have to heat up the oven, why go through the trouble?

There's also a boxed version available. I think we all know it as Hamburger Helper at the grocery store. Honestly, this one is better.

Seriously, it has to be or I wouldn't be putting in the time to share it with you, would I??

WHAT ARE GOOD SIDE DISHES FOR CHILI MAC N CHEESE?

This chili mac and cheese recipe is ALMOST a meal in one minus the vegetable. So think about serving it with easy side dishes like...

• Peas (always a kid favorite)
• Salad
• Corn
• Rolls (because kids can eat all the carbs they want and not have a care in the world)

RECIPE VARIATIONS

Here's what I have to say about the chili mac and cheese recipe....

• Don't let the long list of ingredients intimidate you. Mot of these are spices and they're already in your pantry. You can measure them - or not.
• Don't have one of the spices? Don't sweat it, it's not the end of the world. Just leave it out.
• There is a little bit of kick from the cayenne so you can omit that if you like.
• Change up the diced tomatoes with green chilis for regular diced tomatoes
• Switch up your type of pasta from macaroni to another small pasta shape, like shells or bow tie pasta.
• Different melty cheeses will work - cheese like cheddar, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, and Colby Jack are great.
• You can grab your pressure cooker and make Instant Pot Chili Mac!

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SIMILAR RECIPES YOU'LL LIKE:

• Low Carb Unstuffed Pepper Skillet
• Crockpot Hamburger Helper
• Sloppy Joes
• Classic Chili Recipe for a Crowd
• Easy Pork Stir Fry
• Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
• Chili Lime Pork Medallions
• Chicken Parmesan Skillet

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Recipe updated September 2019.

Recipe

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One Pan Chili Mac and Cheese

Deanne Frieders

One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese is a ground beef skillet meal the whole family enjoys! Even better, this easy chili mac skillet recipe is ready in 30 minutes.

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4.64 from 30 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Dish Recipes

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Calories 540 kcal

Ingredients

  

.5x1x2x

• 1 lb ground beef
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 14.5 ounce Rotel style tomatoes with green chilis
• 2 cups elbow macaroni uncooked
• 2 ⅓ cup water
• 1 T. chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

 

• Cook the ground beef with the onions in a large skillet over medium heat until meat is cooked through, breaking up with a spoon. Drain.
• Add the remaining ingredients EXCEPT CHEESE, and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer on low.
• Cover and cook 15-17 minutes, stirring occasionally, until macaroni is cooked through.
• Add cheddar cheese, stir to combine, and allow to sit 2-3 minutes before serving.

TO MAKE AS A FREEZER MEAL

• Label a gallon sized freezer bag. Cook ground beef, breaking up with a spoon, until cooked through. Drain fat and allow to cool. Add the ground beef to the freezer bag.
• Add the remaining ingredients EXCEPT CHEESE AND MACARONI. Mix to combine. Remove excess air and lay flat to freeze.

TO COOK FROM A FREEZER MEAL

• Thaw. Add contents of bag to a large skillet. Add the macaroni. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer on low. Cover and cook 15-17 minutes, stirring occasionally, until macaroni is cooked through.
• Add cheddar cheese, stir to combine, and allow to sit 2-3 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1grams | Calories: 540kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 516mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g

This Farm Girl Cooks is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. Calories and other nutritional values vary depending on which brands were used.

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