This Brazilian mac and cheese with chicken, also known as macarronada, is a baked pasta with a white cheese creamy sauce and chicken. It takes about 25 minutes to bake and is super creamy and delicious. Simply one of my family’s favorite easy dinners on a budget!
Brazilian Mac and Cheese (Macarronada)
Macarronada com Requeijão (or Brazilian Mac and Cheese) is one of those easy Brazilian recipes that you have to try!
It used to be one of my favorite pasta dishes, because it is quick, complete, and a real crowd-pleaser. This pasta dish even reminds me a bit of the very popular American Macaroni and Cheese that I so love.
It is indeed an excellent option either for a single person working long hours (me in Brazil) or for a full-time mother having to drive kids everywhere (me now).
If I told you that today was the first time that my husband tasted this macarronada and fell in love with this dish, would you believe it? He was so thrilled that I will have to make it again and again.
Actually, I don’t even know why I took so long to make it here for the first time. Maybe it is because one of its key ingredients is not available everywhere in the United States. But it is not hard to find either.
I think I was just being lazy. Well, the cream cheese spread in a jar (requeijão as we say in Brazil, or queso fundido as the Spanish-speakers here say) can be found refrigerated in Latin or Middle-Eastern supermarkets under different brands.
This one is from Egypt!
It has a very creamy texture and can be simply spread on toast, Brazilian cheese bread, or incorporated into a variety of dishes.
Give both the cheese spread and the penne pasta macarronada a try, and you will not regret it… Actually, my only fear is that you may become rather addicted — to both. 🙂
How to Make Mac and Cheese with Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 350º F (180º C).
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the directions on the package. It takes about 10 minutes! Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and then drain the pasta. Set aside! SEE PIC. 1
- Heat the same pan that you cooked the pasta over medium heat and then sauté the garlic in olive oil, about 1 minute. SEE PIC 2 Mix in the wine, the tomato sauce, the salt, pepper, basil, and the reserved pasta water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for about 5 minutes. SEE PIC. 3 Stir in the heavy cream, Brazilian cream cheese spread or American cream cheese, and 8 oz of mozzarella cheese until these 2 cheeses melt. Then, mix in the chicken. SEE PIC. 4 NOTE: If using the American cream cheese, make sure it is at room temperature and also use a whisk to mix the cream cheese with the other ingredients until the mixture is smooth (not lumpy).
- Place the cooked and drained pasta into the pan and toss to coat with the sauce. SEE PIC. 5 Transfer to either a large cast-iron skillet or to a medium-sized deep baking dish (about 9-1/2 by 7-1/5 inches in diameter and 3 inches deep).
- Sprinkle the 1/3 cup of mozzarella and also the Parmesan cheese on top. SEE PIC. 6 Grease one side of a sheet of aluminum foil with non-stick cooking spray (to prevent the cheeses from sticking to the foil) and then cover the top of the baking dish with the foil, greased side down.
- Bake in the middle rack for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and let cook uncovered for 5 minutes more. Serve immediately with a fresh salad, air fryer asparagus, or air fryer Brussels sprouts.
Can I make this chicken mac and cheese ahead?
Yes, you can! But be aware the creamy cheese sauce won’t be as creamy as when the baked mac and cheese was served fresh (right after coming out of the oven). The creamy sauce will thicken and the pasta will absorb the sauce.
A solution would be to warm up a little bit of heavy cream and then gradually mix with the re-heated pasta. The amount of heavy cream will depend on the amount of pasta that you reheat. You can also add more mozzarella cheese when reheating the pasta.
Can I reheat this baked mac and cheese?
Yes! As I said earlier, you can reheat the pasta and then gradually mix in a little bit of heavy cream until the sauce becomes creamy again. Of course, the amount of heavy cream will depend on the amount of pasta that you reheat.
Can I use other cheeses?
Yes, you can! Brazilians tend to use mozzarella and Parmesan more often than other cheeses. They are as popular there as cheddar is in the United States! However, gruyere, Monterey jack, or any other melting cheese goes well in this baked mac and cheese recipe.
Can I use American cream cheese instead of requeijão?
Yes! But there is one catch here: The Brazilian cream cheese (requeijão) is much softer than the American cream cheese, making it easier and quicker to incorporate into the pasta sauce.
In order to replace requeijão with regular cream cheese, make sure:
- Your cream cheese is at room temperature or softened.
- To use a whisk (instead of a wooden spoon) to incorporate the cream cheese into the sauce; otherwise, your cheese sauce will be lumpy instead of smooth.
- To be patient! It takes a few minutes more for the cream cheese to dissolve and become smooth.
What type of chicken can I use to make this mac and cheese with chicken?
I used rotisserie chicken – which saved me some time. You can either shred or cut the rotisserie chicken into cubes or chunks.
But if you prefer to use raw chicken instead, prefer skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into cubes. Of course, you will have to brown the chicken in olive oil, over medium-high heat, before mixing it in the pasta sauce. It will finish cooking when you bake the pasta in the oven.
Storage
Store mac and cheese with chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
You can freeze it for up to one month. But be aware the sauce will thicken and may become lumpy after reheating. Make sure to thaw the pasta in the fridge and then reheat.
To reheat, add some warm heavy cream after reheating the pasta (as much as needed to loosen the sauce). Mix it well in order to it smooth. If you want, add more mozzarella.
More easy pasta recipes:
- Black Bean Pasta
- Easy Pasta Bolognese
- Shrimp Scampi Pasta
- Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti
- Shrimp Carbonara
- Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
- Sausage Pasta
Other mac and cheese recipes:
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Brazilian Mac and Cheese with Chicken (Macarronada com Requeijão)
Equipment
- pan
- Baking dish or cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 16 oz penne pasta about 450 g For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free pasta. For wholesome pasta, use whole grain pasta.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 ½ cups tomato sauce I used a marinara sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste I used about 2 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh basil thinly shredded
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 oz store-bought REQUEIJÃO in a jar or HOMEMADE Brazilian cream cheese or 240 g, SUBSTITUTE: American cream cheese at room temperature and cut into chunks
- 8 oz mozzarella cheese shredded (or 227 g) plus 1/3 cup
- 8 oz rotisserie chicken shredded or cooked chicken, cubed (227 g)
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F (180º C).
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the directions on the package. It takes about 10 minutes! Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water and then drain the pasta. Set aside!
- Heat the same pan that you cooked the pasta over medium heat and then sauté the garlic in olive oil, about 1 minute. Mix in the wine, the tomato sauce, the salt, pepper, basil, and the reserved pasta water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream, Brazilian cream cheese spread or American cream cheese, and 8 oz of mozzarella cheese until these 2 cheese melt. Then, mix in the chicken. NOTE: If using the American cream cheese, make sure it is at room temperature and also use a whisk to mix the cream cheese with the other ingredients until the mixture is smooth (not lumpy).
- Place the cooked and drained pasta into the pan and toss to coat with the sauce. Transfer to either a large cast-iron skillet or to a medium-sized deep baking dish (about 9-1/2 by 7-1/5 inches in diameter and 3 inches deep).
- Sprinkle the 1/3 cup of mozzarella and also the Parmesan cheese on top. Grease one side of a sheet of aluminum foil with non-stick cooking spray (to prevent the cheeses from sticking to the foil) and then cover the top of the baking dish with the foil, greased side down.
- Bake in the middle rack for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and let cook uncovered for 5 minutes more. Serve immediately with a fresh salad, air fryer asparagus, or air fryer Brussels sprouts.
Recipe Notes
Storage
Store mac and cheese with chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can freeze it for up to one month. But be aware the sauce will thicken and may become lumpy after reheating. Make sure to thaw the pasta in the fridge and then reheat. To reheat, add some warm heavy cream after reheating the pasta (as much as needed to loosen the sauce). Mix it well in order to it smooth. If you want, add more mozzarella.Nutrition
Post first published on April 26, 2012.
Laura King says
I can’t wait to try this! It’s an entire meal in one dish…just add a salad to soothe my guilty conscious when I feast on this cheesy dish! Love learning about food ingredients I’ve not heard of before! Cream cheese in a jar…the possibilities are endless! I use creamed cheese often and hate the softening/melting process. I never have the patience to let it sit at room temperature to get soft, and always burn it in the microwave.
Denise Browning says
Laura, thanks for stopping by and supporting me. The cream cheese in a jar has a different texture from the American cream cheese as well as a stronger flavor. It almost like a thick, extremely creamy cheese sauce. It does not need to be brought to room temperature to soften. Next time that I buy one for myself, I’ll get one for you so you will have a better idea. I love it on toasts and in pastas as well. xx
Jean U. says
Oi, Denise! Bem-vindo para os EUA!
Thanks for sharing your Brazilian Mac and Cheese and Brazilian Cream Cheese Spread; I can’t wait to try them! I don’t know where I would find the cream cheese, so I’m going to make it at home. Wish me luck!
Denise Browning says
Hi, Jean! If you have any questions, I’d be happy to help. Both are simple recipes. If you follow the recipes, you won’t have any issues. The store-bough cream cheese spread is available online, and also at Brazilian and Middle-Eastern markets. I have started making my cream cheese spread at home. It is quicker than a trip to a store. 🙂 Wishing you a wonderful week!
mary says
the nutrition info would be welcomed.. have a feeling they will be mega high calories, etc….
Denise Browning says
Mary: If you use reduced-fat dairies and whole wheat pasta, I don’t think calories would be much a problem. You can certainly adapt the recipe to your needs. For any dish, portion control is a must. High intake of fruits and certain vegetables can also make one gain weight as well. I found that the key is in moderation.
Adina says
Oh, my kids would love you for this, all their favorite things in one. 🙂
Denise Browning says
I hope you make it for them and enjoy!
2pots2cook says
Love it so much : so budget friendly, comforting, simple, quick and with PASTA ! Who could ask for more ?!?
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Who doesn’t like mac ‘n cheese? This looks SO good! Real winner of a recipe — thanks.