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It’s hard to beat this One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese. Think spicy, saucy chili meets creamy, cheesy mac and cheese. It’s made entirely in one pot and comes together in less than an hour. Spicy chili-seasoned lean ground beef mixed with onions, peppers, tomatoes, and hot sauce for a spicy buffalo kick. Finish this chili off with a cheesy mix of cream cheese, Colby jack, and cheddar, kind of like queso! Then mix in elbow macaroni noodles to create the most delicious chili cheese mac! Top each bowl off with fresh cilantro and green onions. It’s so simple and has the best taste!
In my head, I intended to share a salad today, but mac and cheese was more what I was in the mood for. We’ve entered into that time of year between winter and spring when most days are pretty cold. And even though spring is top of mind, it’s still very much winter.
I have salads I’m excited to share. And while I still plan to post them soon, it was cold and snowy. So I made us a pot of chili mac and cheese!
It’s shocking to me that this recipe doesn’t already live on this website. It’s a recipe I’ve thought about creating for years. But I steered away from it because it always felt a little too basic.
But this is nothing short of delicious. It really brings me back to my Midwest roots. One of the very first dishes I ever made was a Rachel Ray recipe that was very similar. To this day, my oldest brother raves about that Rachel Ray pasta. And now I have my own version here on the site.
I know you all will love this so much. It’s so easy to make!
These are the details…
Step 1: cook the meat
For this chili, I used my queso beef chili recipe as a base. You can use ground beef or ground chicken, even ground turkey would work. Use what you and your family will love most.
In a dutch oven, cook the meat along with an onion and a poblano or bell pepper. Then add the spices: chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and cayenne.
Step 2: Mix in the tomatoes + broth
Add a can of fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato paste, and chopped green chilies. Then season with salt and pepper.
Add the broth, then a couple of cups of water. The water is important and will help the pasta cook in the chili. Cook everything together until the pasta is al dente.
It’s important to stir the pasta frequently to ensure nothing is sticking. But other than that, everything is EASY.
Step 3: the cheese
Mix in the cream cheese and shredded cheese. I mix Colby jack, pepper jack, and cheddar cheese. This is the “queso” element of this chili cheese mac. It makes for the yummiest mac and cheese.
Finish the dish with extra cheese, then bake until it’s super melty.
Step 4: finish up
Now, the toppings. Most chili is delicious as is. But what makes a chili mac recipe over-the-top good are fresh herbs on top.
Sprinkle on lots of fresh cilantro and some green onions. So delish! Of course, leftover can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and pop in the microwave to reheat.
Looking for other easy family dinners? Here are a few ideas:
One Pot Buffalo Chicken “Helper”
Healthier Homemade One Pot Hamburger Helper
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole
One Pan Autumn Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
Easy Southern Style Baked Mac and Cheese
Pumpkin Cheese Stuffed Pasta Bolognese Bake
One Skillet Cheesy Broccoli Cheddar Orzo Bake
Lastly, if you make this One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese.
Can you swap in ground turkey instead of ground beef or ground chicken?
Yes! For this chili, I used my queso beef chili recipe as the base, but you can swap in ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey and apply all of the same spices.
What do you do with leftover chili mac?
This is one of those meals that makes a great lunch the next day! Keep in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to two days or in the freezer for up to a week or two – you can warm up this recipe for a great meal the next day.
Can you use other types of macaroni in this dish?
Yes! I used elbow macaroni, but you could also use macaroni shells, farfalle, fusille, ziti, rigatoni, or penne.
Could you use Mexican Cheese Blend as the cheese option?
Yes, absolutely – bagged shredded cheese of your choice or shred a cheese block. You can get creative with this recipe and the cheese you select will certainly impact the flavor.
What kitchen supplies do you need for this recipe?
A large braiser (12-14 inches), pot, or dutch over (one of the three), a wooden spoon, spoon rest and can opener!
One Pot Chili Cheese Mac
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 676 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (or ground chicken)
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 can (28 ounces) crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 can (4 ounces) diced green chilies
- salt and black pepper
- 2-3 cups chicken or beef broth
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
- 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 cups shredded melty cheese (colby, cheddar, pepper jack)
- green onions and cilantro, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. In a large pot set over medium-high heat, add the meat and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Brown the meat all over, breaking up the meat as you go.2. Add the poblanos, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, and cayenne. Cook for 5 minutes, until fragrant. Mix in the tomatoes, tomato paste, and diced chilies. Pour over the broth. Add 2 cups water and season with salt. 3. Add the pasta. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer for 10 minutes until the pasta is al dente, stirring often. Stir in the hot sauce, cream cheese, and 1/2 the cheese. Cook another few minutes until very creamy. Remove from the heat and top with cheese. Bake for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.4. Divide the pasta and sauce among bowls and top with green onions and cilantro.
This post was originally published on February 22, 2024
Sorry to have bothered you Tieghan, I see, looking down farther in the comments that you suggest freezing and reheating time. Thank you.
No worries at all, I hope you love the recipe:)
I am in the process of making this wonderful, smelling and tasting mac & cheese dish as I am typing. however, it is such a large amount I am wondering can it be frozen or how long will the leftovers last in the refrigerator.
Thanks so much for trying this recipe Linda!! Yes, you can absolutely freeze this and leftovers should be good up to 4 days:) I hope it’s delish!! xT
This was a winner for me and my children. I left out the hot sauce because they don’t all enjoy spice and it was still delicious. I’d like to make a batch with the hot sauce just for me!
Hey Megan,
That’s awesome! So glad to hear your family enjoyed this dish, I appreciate you trying it! xx
Made this exactly as written tonight and it turned out sooooo good!!! Your recipes never disappoint.
Thanks so much Mary:) I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment, so glad it was delish! Xx
Made this tonight and it was delicious! I skipped the cayenne and hot sauce because we don’t like things very spicy and it was still amazing. XO
Hi Maria,
Wonderful!! Love to hear that this dish turned out well for you, thanks a lot for trying it! xx
Not a fan. Way too much tomato and not enough cheese. Normally I love your recipes, and this one was a big miss for my family. In fact I like your recipes enough to own one of your cookbooks.
You could easily add more cheese and cut back on the tomato, Melissa. It’s a simple adjustment.
This recipe was delicious as written, Tieghan. Thank you!
Thanks so much Olivia!!
Hi Melissa,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. It sounds like you might be looking for more of a classic Mac and cheese like one of these recipes:
https://fett-weg.today/stove-top-mac-and-cheese/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/no-boil-brie-mac-and-cheese/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/baked-mac-and-cheese/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> I hope this helps! xT
My husband made this for dinner tonight. It was delicious! He made half the recipe because there are only the two of us. Definitely making this again! Thanks for another successful dinner!
Hi Sandra,
Happy Friday!! So glad to hear that this dish turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and your comment! xT
Any thoughts on making this dairy free? Suggestions? I would use vegan cheese and cream cheese.
Hi Tieghan! Looking forward to making this recipe and I’ve got it printed out. Two questions 1) the ingredients call for 2-3 cups broth but in the directions it call for to add 2 cups of water so I’m confused on which to add and how much?
2) Can this be frozen or made into a frozen meal and then add to skillet?
Thanks,
Sheila
Hi Sheila,
You are going to use both the 2 cups of water and the 2 cups of broth for this recipe:) Sure, I would just freeze the entire dish once made and then cover with foil and reheat on low in the oven. I hope this helps! xT
Hi MacKenzie,
I have never tested this, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try! xT
Can I use veggie ground round with this recipe? Would I need to adjust anything?
Hi Jane,
I have never worked with veggie ground round, but sounds like it should be just fine for you to use here! Please let me know how it turns out for you! xT
Any alterations to instructions if I used gluten free pasta? Looks amazing!
Thanks Autumn! You should be able to follow the recipe as written without any issues:) Please let me know if you give this a try! xT
I love Frank’s but it’s not kind to my stomach. Have you ever tried another hot sauce you’ve liked? I can do sriracha, but I’m guessing that would make it too spicy!
Hi Sabrina,
How about the Primal Kitchen Brand Buffalo Sauce? That one is a great option! I hope this helps! xT
I have printed this recipe to give it a try; will not use as much pepper; keeping it mild or less even. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks! I hope you love the recipe! xx
Do you use chopped roasted tomatoes or crushed fire roasted tomatoes?
Hi Laura,
You are going to use crushed fire roasted tomatoes for this recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Tieghan- you pictures on this site and video on instagram show you using chopped, but yet you are replying to use crushed?!
Hi Jill,
You can follow the ingredient list as instructed and use crushed tomatoes:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Thanks for another fabulous recipe 👏👏👏 it looks amazing!
Can you help please…. I can’t source fire roasted canned tomatoes OR diced green chilli’s – any ideas for substitutions?
I can get the jarred Old El Paso sliced small round Jalapenos – like you put on nachos – are they similar to the diced green you use in the recipe? Is there anything I can add to the chopped tomatoes to enhance them to taste like fire roasted? Thank you…
Hi Nina,
I would just use regular crushed tomatoes and then yes, those jalapeños diced up would be a great option for you to use! I hope this helps, let me know if you give this dish a try! xT
Would love to make this ahead, but am thinking the pasta will get too soft. Any suggestions?
How far in advance are you wanting to make this? I would go up until adding the cheese in step 3 and then bake when you are ready to serve. I hope this helps! xT
Do you think that ground turkey would be a good substitute in this particular dish?
No
How can I make a non spicy version of this recipe?
Emily, I have not made this yet. But I would suggest skipping the 1/4 c hot sauce, and use a bare dash of cayenne or skip altogether. That should do it.
Hi Emily,
You can go ahead and skip the cayenne and hot sauce, that will make this not spicy:) I hope you love this dish! xT
Definitely!
Hi Heather,
Totally, ground turkey would be great to use here! Let me know if I can help in any other way:) Xx