Green Chili Chicken Macaroni and Cheese Muffins

These Green Chili Chicken Mac and Cheese Muffins make a perfect party appetizer—ideal for game day or any gathering. Ready in under 30 minutes or made ahead and reheated, they’re small, handheld bites of cheesy, crunchy comfort food that always disappear fast.

I first shared this recipe last year, and with party food on the rise I wanted to bring it back into the spotlight. It started as a craving for classic mac and cheese, then I thought adding green chiles and chicken would take it in a fun, slightly spicy direction. Turning that combo into bite-size muffins felt like the perfect way to serve them.

You can make these two ways: prepare a homemade cheese sauce for a richer flavor, or use a boxed mac and cheese to keep things quick and easy. For this version I made the sauce from scratch and used extra-sharp cheddar for maximum cheesy goodness.

To keep prep simple, I used rotisserie chicken, chopped green chiles, and a diced red bell pepper. The combination is flavorful and fast.

Start by melting butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour, and cook for about two minutes to form a roux. Whisk in the milk and continue until the sauce thickens, roughly three minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the shredded cheeses, chopped green chiles, diced red bell pepper, and Mexican oregano until smooth. Gently fold in cooked macaroni and the chopped chicken, coating everything in the cheesy sauce.

Of course you’ll want to taste the sauce—sneak a spoon for a test bite and adjust seasoning if needed.

Lightly grease mini muffin cups with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 425°F. In a small bowl combine panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, and a teaspoon of Mexican oregano. Divide half of this breadcrumb mixture evenly across the bottoms of the mini muffin cups.

Adding breadcrumbs to the base does two things: it soaks up any excess moisture and bakes into a crunchy, caramelized base that helps the muffins release cleanly from the pan.

Using a medium cookie or ice cream scoop, portion the mac and chicken mixture into the prepared muffin tins. Top each muffin with the remaining panko and Parmesan mixture to create a golden, crispy crust.

Bake until the tops are golden brown, about 14 minutes. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes, then remove them from the pan. Serve warm, or cool completely and freeze for later reheating.

These muffins are crispy on the outside and warm and gooey inside. The green chiles add a gentle heat that complements the cheddar and pepper jack, while the red bell pepper gives a sweet, fresh bite. They were so good I ate a few before taking photos—no regrets.

I made 36 of these for my photoshoot and still had plenty to share. They freeze and reheat well, making them a great make-ahead appetizer.

Try them at your next party and let me know how they turn out!

Green Chili Chicken Mac and Cheese Muffins

Mac and Cheese Muffins combined with green chiles, rotisserie chicken and red peppers, finished with a crunchy panko and Parmesan topping.

Servings: 18

Prep: 12 mins

Cook: 14 mins

Total: 26 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
• 8 oz chopped green chilies
• 2 tsp Mexican oregano
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 8 oz elbow macaroni, cooked
• 2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken

Instructions

1. Lightly grease mini muffin cups with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. In a small bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, and 1 tsp Mexican oregano. Reserve half and divide the other half evenly across the bottoms of the mini muffin cups.
3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes to form a roux.
4. Whisk in the milk and cook until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheddar and pepper jack until smooth. Fold in the chopped green chiles, diced red bell pepper, and the remaining 1 tsp oregano. Gently fold in the cooked macaroni and chopped chicken until everything is evenly coated.
5. Using a medium cookie or ice cream scoop, fill each prepared muffin cup with the mac and chicken mixture. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining panko/Parmesan mixture.
6. Bake until the tops are golden brown, about 14 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the pans. Serve warm, or cool completely and freeze for later reheating.

Nutrition (estimate)

Serving: 2 muffins | Calories: 100 kcal | Carbs: 5.6 g | Protein: 5.6 g | Fat: 6.2 g

Nutrition information is an estimate only and should not replace professional advice.

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Author: Kevin Is Cooking