Description
This Chili Mac recipe is a hearty, comforting meal that combines creamy Kraft Deluxe Mac & Cheese with savory ground beef, chili beans, and zesty Rotel tomatoes. Ready in just 25 minutes, it’s a perfect weeknight dinner that brings together the flavors of chili and macaroni in one delicious skillet dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 box (24 oz) Family Size Kraft Deluxe Mac & Cheese
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 (16 oz) can chili beans (do not drain)
- 1 (10 oz) can mild Rotel (do not drain)
- 1 packet mild chili seasoning
Optional Toppings
- Sour cream, for serving
- Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
- Thinly sliced green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook the macaroni noodles from the box of deluxe mac & cheese according to the package instructions. Remember to save the foil packet of cheese sauce for later. Once cooked, drain the pasta but do not rinse it. Set aside for the next steps.
- Brown Beef and Onions: In a large skillet pan over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef along with the finely diced yellow onion. Continue cooking until the beef is no longer pink and the onions are soft. Drain any excess grease from the pan.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the cooked pasta, the can of chili beans (with liquid), the can of mild Rotel tomatoes (with liquid), and the packet of mild chili seasoning to the skillet with the beef and onions. Stir everything together well and let the mixture cook for about 5-8 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Add Cheese Sauce: Pour in the cheese sauce from the foil packet that came with the macaroni and cheese box. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly and heat through.
- Serve: Serve the chili mac immediately. Optionally, top with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and thinly sliced green onions for extra flavor and garnish.
Notes
- Do not rinse the cooked pasta after draining to retain starch that helps thicken the dish.
- Drain excess grease from the cooked beef to prevent the dish from being too oily.
- You can adjust the chili seasoning level to your taste preference by adding more or less.
- Optional toppings add extra creaminess and a fresh crunch but can be omitted for a simpler dish.
- This recipe reheats well and makes great leftovers.
