Smoked Mac & Cheese with Chicken

Smoked sides are a fantastic accompaniment to any BBQ feast. Mac and cheese is classic so why not?

Tip – The breadcrumb topping adds a nice textural contrast but is certainly not an essential piece. This dish is great straight out of the smoker.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Apple Smoking Chips
• 4 Chicken breasts
• Kosher Salt
• 12 oz uncooked Macaroni or Pasta of choice
• 2 cups Heavy Cream
• 1 cup grated Cheddar Cheese
• 1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• 4 Tbsp melted  Butter
• 2 Tbsp chopped Parsley

Method

1. Preheat a smoker to 250°F and load the tray with chips.
2. Season the chicken breasts with a little salt and place in the smoker. Set a timer for 3 hours and cook to an internal temp of 165°F. 
3. While the chicken is smoking, cook the pasta in plenty of salted water until cooked through, drain.
4. On the stove, add the cream to a sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Add the cheese and pasta. Continually stir until the cheese is melted and the dish is very saucy. Slice up the smoked chicken and stir into the pasta.
5. Place the pasta in a skillet and set in the smoker. Smoke for 50 minutes.
6. While the pasta is smoking combine the breadcrumbs with the butter and parsley.
7. Preheat an oven to 350°F, remove the pan from the smoker and evenly sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over  the top. Set in the oven for 5 – 10 minutes until topping is golden brown.