Fried Chicken & Creamy Mac and Cheese
A comforting, crispy fried chicken paired with an ultra-creamy baked macaroni and cheese. Perfect for Sunday dinners and family gatherings.
- Buttermilk Brining: The lactic acid in buttermilk gently breaks down protein fibers, ensuring the chicken stays incredibly juicy even after deep frying.
- Cornstarch Dredge: Mixing cornstarch with all-purpose flour dilutes the gluten content, creating a shatteringly crisp crust that stays crunchy for hours.
- Roux-Based Cheese Sauce: Coating the pasta in a velvety béchamel prevents the cheese from separating into a greasy mess when baked.
My grandmother’s cast-iron skillet always sat on the back-right burner, heavy and black as midnight, smelling faintly of the lard she used to fry chicken every Sunday afternoon. I remember the exact weight of her old metal tongs as I tried to flip a drumstick, my wrist wobbling under the strain, only to drop it back into the bubbling fat and splash hot grease onto my forearm.
It was a painful lesson in respect.
Most home cooks fail at this pairing because they treat fried chicken and macaroni as separate entities rather than a delicate balancing act of fat, acid, and starch. If your chicken coating turns into a soggy, sliding sleeve of wet cardboard, or your cheese sauce breaks into a greasy puddle in the oven, you have a molecular structural failure on your hands.
I learned this the hard way after serving a split, grainy cheese sauce that looked like yellow cottage cheese next to pale, rubbery chicken.
The simple fix is a two-pronged approach: a dry-brine buttermilk marinade to build a resilient protein matrix in the chicken, and a starch-stabilized cheese sauce that refuses to break. By using a touch of cornstarch in our flour dredge and a classic roux base for the pasta, we ensure absolute, hands-down perfection.
Trust me on this one, you do not need fancy restaurant equipment to pull this off in your own kitchen.
If you love comforting, crispy chicken dinners, you might also want to try my Hot Honey Chicken or pair this feast with a refreshing Spicy Jalapeño Coleslaw to cut through the rich, cheesy goodness.
For the seasoning, I always reach for Diamond Crystal kosher salt because its hollow flakes dissolve beautifully into the meat, whereas denser table salt will leave you with an unevenly seasoned, salty disaster. Bear with me here, because the physics of salt penetration is what makes or breaks the crust.
Fried Chicken & Creamy Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone-in, skin-on
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 450 g elbow macaroni
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for roux)
- 3 cups whole milk, warmed
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 2 cups Gruyere cheese, freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
Directions
- In a large bowl, whisk buttermilk, kosher salt, black pepper, and paprika. Submerge the chicken pieces, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Boil the elbow macaroni in salted water until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Slowly pour in warm milk and heavy cream, whisking constantly until thickened.
- Remove sauce from heat and stir in ground mustard, along with three-quarters of the grated cheddar and Gruyere until completely melted and velvety. Fold in the cooked pasta.
- Transfer the mac and cheese to a greased baking dish, top with the remaining cheese, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes until bubbling and golden.
- While the pasta bakes, whisk flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne in a shallow dish. Dredge each piece of chicken, pressing the flour firmly into the skin.
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Fry chicken in batches for 12-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Drain on a wire rack.
Notes
- Salt Conversion: This recipe specifies Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you are using Morton's kosher salt, reduce the volume by half (use 1 tablespoon) to avoid over-salting.
- The Science of Crunch: Adding cornstarch to the flour dredge dilutes the wheat flour's gluten-forming proteins, resulting in a lighter, crispier crust that resists getting soggy.
- Oil Temperature Control: Do not crowd the frying pan. Adding too many chicken pieces at once drops the oil temperature below 325°F, causing the chicken to absorb grease instead of frying cleanly.
- Macaroni Behavior: The baked macaroni and cheese will continue to absorb liquid as it cools. If storing leftovers, expect a firmer texture the next day.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this ultimate comfort duo hot, straight from the stove and oven, to experience the maximum contrast between the shatteringly crisp chicken skin and the gooey pasta.
- Drizzle the chicken with a bit of spicy honey, similar to our Hot Honey Chicken Bowls.
- Serve alongside a crisp, acidic green salad to balance the heavy fats of the meal.
- Add a side of buttery cornbread or warm Cheesy Biscuit Treats.
- Offer a cold glass of sweet tea or a refreshing Watermelon Lemonade to wash it down.
Storage and Reheating
Let's be completely honest here: fried chicken is never quite as magical on day two.
The crispy skin loses its battle against moisture in the fridge, turning soft and sad. To revive it, avoid the microwave at all costs unless you enjoy rubbery meat; instead, pop the chicken onto a wire rack set inside a baking sheet and bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 10 minutes until the skin sizzles again.
The mac and cheese, on the other hand, actually holds up beautifully.
Because the pasta will continue to drink up the cheese sauce as it sits, it will look dry when you pull it out of the fridge. Stir in a tablespoon or two of whole milk or heavy cream before reheating it in the oven or on the stovetop over low heat to restore that velvety emulsion.
Store both in separate airtight containers for up to four days.
Ingredient Substitutes
If you find yourself missing a few key items, don't panic. Here are the best swaps that won't ruin your dinner.
- Buttermilk: If you don't have buttermilk, whisk 2 cups of whole milk with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle.
- Gruyere Cheese: Swap Gruyere for Fontina, Gouda, or extra sharp white cheddar to keep that rich, meltable profile.
- Cornstarch: You can use potato starch or rice flour in the dredge for an equally crispy, gluten-diluted crunch.
Go ahead and get your hands dirty with this one. It’s messy, it’s loud, and it is absolutely worth every single dirty dish in your sink. Happy cooking!
Susan Rosie
I've spent over 12 years perfecting recipes so you can cook with confidence. Every dish on Storied Skillet is tested multiple times – because your dinner matters. I believe in simple ingredients, clear instructions, and big flavors.
Learn More About Me →