Chick-Fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe Copycat
Creamy and cheesy, this Chick-Fil-A Mac and Cheese Recipe copycat is a delicious copycat of the popular restaurant dish. Made with simple ingredients, this mac and cheese will be your new family favorite!
If you love macaroni and cheese, then you are going to love this Chick-Fil-A Macaroni and Cheese Copycat. With four types of cheese, this dish is creamy, cheesy, and oh so delicious. Plus, it is a copycat of the popular restaurant dish, so you know it is good!
The real Chick-Fil-A Mac & Cheese is “A classic macaroni and cheese recipe featuring a special blend of cheeses including Parmesan, Cheddar, and Romano. Baked in-restaurant to form a crispy top layer of baked cheese.”
This recipe makes a large batch and is baked in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, making it great for potlucks and serving a crowd. It’s comfort food at its finest!
Ingredients
To make this Chick-Fil-A Macaroni and Cheese Copycat, you need the following:
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- 2 cups whole milk
- 10 slices American Cheese chopped or torn
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup white Cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan-Romano cheese
Topping
- 1/2 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup white Cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
Fill a pot of water with 4 quarts of water and season with salt. Bring to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions + an additional 2 minutes. (This will help create larger, more tender noodles.)
Strain the water out afterward and add the pasta to an oven-safe 9×13-inch baking dish with a tablespoon of butter to keep it from sticking.
While the pasta is boiling, make the cheese sauce. Add milk, American cheese, butter, and salt to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until the cheese has melted, whisking often.
Remove from heat and add 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, 1 cup white Cheddar cheese, and the Parmesan-Romano. Stir until melted. Allow the sauce to sit and thicken for about 5-7 mins.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
After the sauce has thickened pour it over the noodles in the prepared dish. Top with ½ cup of shredded Cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup of shredded white Cheddar cheese to the top.
Place in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes. Turn the broiler to HIGH and bake until the cheese begins to brown.
Remove from the oven and serve!
Notes
- Shredded cheese off the block will have more of a stringy cheese pull than pre-shredded cheese, it will also make it more creamy.
- Look for a blend of Parmesan and Romano cheeses in the grocery store aisle near the spaghetti sauce. If you cannot find the cheese blend, you can use 6 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese + 2 tablespoons of grated Romano cheese.
- I tested this recipe using an 8-ounce package of Land O Lakes American cheese. (I found it in the specialty cheese cooler near the deli counter.)
- Got leftovers? You should check out the recipe for how to make Mac and Cheese Balls at Take Two Tappas. Can I get a “Yum?!”
Other Copycat Recipes You Might Enjoy:
Chick-Fil-A Mac N Cheese Copycat
Equipment
- 1 stockpot
- 1 9 x 13-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni
- 2 cups whole milk
- 10 slices American Cheese chopped or torn
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup white Cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan-Romano cheese
Topping
- ½ cup sharp Cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ cup white Cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Fill a pot of water with 4 quarts of water and season with salt. Bring to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions, adding an additional 2 minutes to the cook time.
- Strain the water out afterward and add the pasta to an oven-safe 9×13-inch baking dish with a tablespoon of butter to keep it from sticking.
- While the pasta is boiling, make the cheese sauce. Add milk, American cheese, butter, and salt to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until the cheese has melted, whisking often.
- Remove from heat and add 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, 1 cup white Cheddar cheese, and the Parmesan-Romano. Stir until melted. Allow the sauce to sit and thicken for about 5-7 mins.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- After the sauce has thickened pour it over the noodles in the prepared dish. Top with ½ cup of shredded Cheddar cheese and ½ cup of shredded white Cheddar cheese to the top.
- Place in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes. Turn the broiler to HIGH and bake until the cheese begins to brown.
- Remove from the oven and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Be sure to come back and tell us how your macaroni and cheese turned out!
Just made this and am serving it tomorrow! Should I bake it now or bake it tomorrow?
To be honest, I have only made it and baked it the day that it was served. I would think that either way should work. (The Kitchn has a make ahead mac & cheese casserole recipe that they make ahead and bake later.)
When are you supposed to add the Parmesan Romano? 😅
Excellent question! (Forgive me for the omission of that detail – I have corrected it thanks to you.)
The Parmesan-Romano gets added in Step #4 during the process of making the cheese sauce.