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What the bowls are supposed to look like

One of those “Available for a limited time” menu items, KFC’s Chicken Mac & Cheese Bowl is quick lunch or dinner for just $5.

Here’s the description from the KFC website:  Our Chicken Mac & Cheese Bowl features our signature rich, creamy macaroni and cheese, topped with our crispy fried chicken nuggets and a three-cheese blend. Available in classic or spicy for a limited time!

What I got served by KFC, it’s swimming in a lame hot sauce, turning the breading on the nuggets soggy

I’m a fan of the classic version Bowl, but I recently tried the spicy version and I have to say I was less than impressed.  Drowning in a not-very-spicy concoction the Bowl was not repeat buy worthy, I can craft a better version myself.  So screw the “Limited Time” crap, make a copycat version!  You can read the review here.

So here’s the copycat version of KFC’s Spicy Chicken Mac & Cheese Bowl, done with convenience in mind.

Ingredients:

  • One box of mac & cheese, prepared as directed with a cook’s tip
  • One serving of your favorite brand of frozen chicken nuggets, prepared as directed
  • 1 ounce of Colby Jack Cheese, shredded
  • A few splashes of Frank’s Redhot or your favorite hot sauce brand
  • A healthy pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

My version looks and tastes way better!

It’s pretty straightforward, pretty much a preparation per product instructions and assembling, rather than a bonafide recipe.  Cook’s tip:  Add a few dashes of onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper to the milk used in making the mac & cheese.  Do this when the pasta is cooking, mixing in a small bowl or ramekin.  This allows the seasonings to bloom (especially the garlic and onion powders) for a bit and will elevate the overall flavor profile of the mac & cheese.  Another cook’s tip:  If you’re baking the chicken nuggets rather than frying, hit them with cooking spray before placing them in the oven, this will crisp up the breading a little nicer.  Serve up the mac & cheese in a bowl, top with 4-6 chicken nuggets and hit them with the hot sauce as desired.  Add the shredded Colby Jack (the heat from the pasta and chicken will provide a nice melt), then hit the dish with the crushed red pepper flake.

As I was writing up this copycat version to include checking into a nutritional comparison, the KFC bowl is a salt bomb!  It doesn’t taste salty but does pack a whopping 2,270mg of sodium.  That’s 95% of the recommended daily intake in one bowl!  Yikes!  The copycat version, while still not “healthy”, (but we’re talking a fast food dish after all) has 1450mg of sodium in comparison.

This is also an inexpensive dish to prepare, costing less than $1 per serving using ingredients purchased at Aldi and items I had on hand in my pantry and fridge.  BONUS:  I can make more tasty bowls to boot! 

  • Aldi discount brand mac & cheese – $0.50 (3 servings per box)
  • Kirkland chicken nuggets – $5.89 (11 servings per bag)
  • Happy Farms Colby Jack brick cheese – $1.99 (8 servings)

Why pay $5 for the lousy-prep bowl KFC served me when I can create a bowl that looks and tastes WAY better for less than $1?  I love the KFC concept, thank you, but it’s poorly executed.  I’ll take the copycat, please.

And I’m left wondering, “Who has the best chicken nuggets in fast food?  Sounds like the next Bachelor on the Cheap Food Challenge to me…

$pend Wisely My Friends…

~ Mike

Related: Food Review: KFC Spicy Chicken Mac & Cheese Bowl

Related: Fast Food Mac & Cheese Battle: Arby’s vs. Chick-fil-A vs. KFC

Related: Who has the best Mac & Cheese in fast food?

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