KFC Mac and Cheese (Copycat)!

KFC MAC AND CHEESE

This past summer, Kentucky Fried Chicken decided to take its a well-loved side dish, Mac and Cheese, and turn it into a Famous Bowl. That’s right, they said how can we make this better? Make it an entree!

Because this new Mac was only briefly offered, we knew it was time to master KFC’s Mac. Not only so we can pair with copycat Fried Chicken whenever we want, but also to recreate these limited time only Famous Bowls.

First though, let’s take a minute to gush about the delicious, creamy cheese sauce that is the key to KFC Mac and Cheese. It’s absolutely mind-blowing that a dish this cheesy and flavorful could come from a fast-food chain. Yet here it is.

This Mac and cheese have a slightly tangy, sharp cheddar sauce gets soaked up into the tender jumbo elbow noodles. When you bite into the macaroni, you get bursts of hidden creamy cheddar that you never want to stop. 

Who among us hasn’t scraped the container to get every last drop of this thick and rich cheesy goodness?

Now that your (hopefully) convinced that it’s a must-have side dish, you can understand why KFC would take this masterpiece and kick it to the next level by topping with crispy popcorn chicken and even more cheese.

Since Mac and cheese bowls were limited time only, and we don’t know if they will ever be back, we’ve got instructions to make both the regular and spicy versions. If they disappeared off the menu before you got to try one, you no longer have to wonder what you missed out on!

Drop a comment below of more limited edition or lifetime classic KFC Menu Copycats you’d like to see.  KFC is one of my favorite fast food places to recreate copycats for.

HOW TO MAKE KFC MAC AND CHEESE

• Cook the elbow macaroni for 18 minutes then drain.
• Add in the milk, milk powder, mustard powder, cornstarch, and salt until the milk is warm, stirring gently.
• Add in the Velveeta and cheddar cheese until smooth and creamy, mixing gently, then serve immediately.

HOW TO MAKE KFC MAC AND CHEESE FAMOUS BOWLS

So, these cheese bowls are super easy to make, literally just 2-3 toppings depending if you make the regular or spicy versions. It really comes down to what ingredients you use in order to get the taste spot on.

• Popcorn Chicken: The chicken that KFC uses on top of their Famous Bowls, including the ones with mashed potatoes, is their popcorn chicken. Little chicken bites with thick crunchy breading. We don’t have a copycat (yet) but we suggest the Tyson frozen brand for the closest version until we do.
• 3 Cheese Blend: The 3 cheese blend in the Mac and Cheese Famous Bowls is a blend of equal parts Low Moisture Mozzarella, Mild Cheddar Cheese, and Monterey Jack Cheese.
• Spicy Mac: To make the Spicy Famous Bowl, you will need to make a Nashville Hot Sauce and drizzle it generously. Nashville Hot Sauce is a spicy-sweet hot sauce filled with more spices than your traditional hot wing sauce.
• Make it a Combo: If you want to make this into a full Fill Up meal, for much less, serve your Mac and Cheese Famous Bowls with a Chocolate Chip Cookie and a drink.

HOW TO MAKE NASHVILLE HOT SAUCE

• 3 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. garlic salt
• ½ cup vegetable oil (the kind used for frying)

Whisk all ingredients and pour over your Mac and Cheese Bowls. You can also use this on fried chicken and make it into a Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich. 

FUN FACTS ABOUT KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN

• Not So Kentucky Fried Chicken: Although KFC was founded as Sanders Court & Cafe in Corbin, Kentucky in 1930, the first franchise location was opened in Salt Lake City, over 20 years later.
• Do the Dew: Mountain Dew made a special flavor specifically for drinking with the Colonel’s Original Recipe. The Sweet Lightning flavor is a peach and honey blend, which sounds like the definition of southern flair in soda form.
• Bucket of Facts: Before 1957, you would not be able to pick up a KFC Bucket Meal. Created by one of the first franchisees, the same one that would coin “Finger-Lickin' Good”, the first bucket was 14 pieces of chicken, 5 rolls, and a pint of gravy.