Ingredients:

  • 680 g boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
  • 110 g honey
  • 30 ml soy sauce
  • 15 ml lemon juice
  • 2 g cracked black pepper
  • 0.5 g cayenne pepper
  • 30 ml vegetable oil
  • 340 g elbow macaroni
  • 57 g unsalted butter
  • 30 g all-purpose flour
  • 480 ml whole milk
  • 120 ml heavy cream
  • 225 g sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 115 g mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 50 g Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 3 g garlic powder
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken chunks and cook until golden brown on all sides (about 5–7 minutes).
  2. In a small bowl, whisk honey, soy sauce, lemon juice, black pepper, and cayenne. Pour the mixture over the chicken.
  3. Simmer for 3–5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce transforms into a sticky, mahogany-colored glaze that coats the chicken. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside.
  4. While chicken is cooking, boil macaroni in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  5. In the same skillet used for the chicken, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes until it smells slightly nutty and looks pale gold.
  6. Slowly pour in milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly to ensure there are no lumps. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  7. Turn heat to low. Stir in cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese until melted and combined.
  8. Fold the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce until evenly coated. Transfer to a serving dish and top with the glazed honey pepper chicken.