Recipes and Cooking Chicken-Vegetable Mac and Cheese 3.3 (47) By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on July 6, 2015 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Andy Lyons Prep Time: 45 mins Bake Time: 75 mins Total Time: 2 hrs Servings: 6 Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients 12 ounce dried penne pasta 1 cup fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 cup broccoli florets 2 tablespoon vegetable oil 4 ounce button mushrooms, halved ⅓ cup chopped red sweet pepper 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces 1 - 2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning or other herb blend, crushed ⅛ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper ¼ cup butter ⅓ cup chopped onion (1 medium) 1 clove garlic, minced ¼ cup all-purpose flour 3 tablespoon tomato paste 4 ½ cup milk 1 ½ cup shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese (8 ounces) 6 ounce process American or Swiss cheese, torn (2 cups) Salt Ground black pepper 4 ounce purchased croutons (2 cups), coarsely crushed Directions Cook pasta according to package directions, adding green beans and broccoli the last 2 minutes; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. Return pasta to pan. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, red peppers and chicken. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Add chicken to pasta in pan. For cheese sauce, in a large saucepan melt the 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until tender. Stir in flour, then tomato paste. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; reduce heat. Gradually stir in cheddar and American cheeses until nearly melted. Remove from heat; season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Add cheese sauce to pasta mixture, stirring to coat. Spoon pasta mixture into a 3 quart baking dish. Cover baking dish with plastic wrap, then with foil. Freeze for up to 4 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic wrap; recover with foil. Bake about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until heated through, stirring every 30 minutes. Top with crushed croutons. Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 579 Calories 29g Fat 47g Carbs 44g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 6 Calories 579 % Daily Value * Total Fat 29g 37% Saturated Fat 14g 70% Cholesterol 111mg 37% Sodium 890mg 39% Total Carbohydrate 47g 17% Total Sugars 10g Protein 44g Vitamin C 20mg 100% Calcium 566mg 44% Iron 2.6mg 14% Potassium 702mg 15% Fatty acids, total trans 1g Folate, total 130.5mcg Vitamin B-12 1.4mcg Vitamin B-6 0.7mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.