I will be completely honest. Prior to this requested dish, I had not tried Hamburger Helper. So I went to the store, got a box, and decided to see what the fuss was about.

Was it good? Sure. Could it have been better? Absolutely! My version takes the same amount of time as the box and doesn’t include powdered cheese.

Why You’ll Love Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet

Talk about a great ground beef recipe with oodles of cheddar cheese, tasty seasonings, and zippy tomatoes ready in just 20 minutes! Perfect for busy nights and introducing a new generation to a classic – no box here.

Hands down, this is the fanciest Hamburger Helper you have ever eaten!

What is Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet

This one-dish meal features ground beef, macaroni, tomatoes, beef broth, and gooey cheese.

For those of you that don’t know, Hamburger Helper is an absolute classic. With a single box, a pound of ground beef, water, or milk, you had a one-dish meal for the entire family.

My take is the same concept, only I skipped the seasoning packet and powdered cheese and really amped up the flavor.

Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet Ingredients

This simple ingredient list can easily be found at your local grocery store.

• Butter – I always opt to use unsalted butter when cooking, because I can control the amount of salt that goes into what I am cooking.
• Ground Beef – For a more decadent dish, buy something with a higher fat ratio. If you are watching your calories, go with something a little leaner.
• Salt and Pepper – A mix of coarse sea salt and ground black pepper is a great way to season this dish. If you use salted butter, go ahead and omit the salt altogether.
• Seasonings – Besides the salt and pepper, all we need to season this meal is garlic powder and onion powder.
• Beef Broth – I prefer to use low sodium because it keeps the salt content down, but you can also use chicken broth, chicken stock, or vegetable broth if needed and in a pinch.
• Elbow Macaroni – This pasta shape is easy to find and a classic when it comes to Hamburger Helper.
• Whole Milk – Full-fat milk helps the cheese sauce to be rich and decadent. Low-fat milk can be used if need be, but the sauce texture will likely be a little thinner.
• Cheddar Cheese – No artificial cheese here. Anything from sharp to mild cheddar will work so go with whatever your family or friends will enjoy the most.
• Petite Diced Tomatoes – I like the flavor and tang the tomatoes add not to mention the color they bring to the dish, but be sure to drain them well. Any extra liquid could cut down on the velvety sauce.

How to Make Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet

1. Cook the beef. Cast iron is going to be the best option here because it retains heat so well and evenly. This will help to crisp up the beef quickly. The butter is there for flavor and to help those seasonings evenly distribute as the crumbled ground beef is cooking.
2. Drain the pan and cook the pasta. There will be more liquid or fat in the pan than is pleasant for this dish. Carefully tilt the pan and use a spoon to get out as much of it as you can. Add the pasta and the broth and while the pasta boils the flavor of the browned beef, seasonings, and the beef broth will flavor it while it cooks.
3. Create the sauce. Fun fact: as pasta boils the starches from it leech into the cooking liquid. That’s the genius of this dish. The residual starchy liquid mixes with the milk and the cheese to create a decadent cheese sauce for the noodles. Don’t forget to fold in the tomatoes here if you are using them and serve!

What to Serve with Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet

I like to pair mine with a simple green salad dressed with Creamy Italian Dressing and sprinkled a quality Maldon sea salt over top. You will have your vegetable, starch, and protein all ready to go.

Variations

Lots to do here if you are feeling like you want to change it up or if you have dietary restrictions.

• Swap the protein – Ground turkey or ground chicken are great substitutes if you want leaner meat.
• Swap the cheese – Not a fan of cheddar? Feel free to try another cheese or cheese blend of your choice. Sometimes you just need to clean out the fridge, right?!
• Change the pasta – Any pasta will do, but generally speaking, I like a small shape. Penne, rigatoni, shells, orechiette, or even ditalini are all great swaps here.
• Amp up the heat – Add red pepper flakes or serve it with your favorite hot sauce on the side.
• Play with flavor – Consider adding some Worcestershire sauce or even Montreal steak seasoning to this classic comfort dish for even more deliciousness.

Storage and Freezing

Storage: You can store leftover hamburger helper in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay good for up to three to four days.

Freezing: I do not recommend freezing this recipe. Cooked pasta doesn’t thaw at the same texture as before.

Questions About Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet

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Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet

Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet is a great ground beef recipe with cheddar cheese, seasonings, and tomatoes all ready in 20 minutes!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword cheeseburger macaroni skillet, hamburger helper

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 904kcal

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 4 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth
• 16 ounces dry elbow macaroni
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 cups cheddar cheese grated
• 16 ounces petite diced tomatoes drained

Instructions

• In a large skillet, preferably cast iron, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the ground beef, salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder, breaking ground beef as it cooks. Brown on all sides, approximately 5-7 minutes.
• Drain any excess fat, if there is just a little, don’t worry about it. Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni and beef broth. Spread evenly in the pan, simmering on low. Stir twice to ensure all of the pasta has had a chance to soak up the broth. Simmer for 7-9 minutes, or until pasta is al dente.
• Fold in the milk and cheese until incorporated and cheesy. Fold in drained tomatoes.
• If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Nutrition

Calories: 904kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 1187mg | Potassium: 1281mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 666IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 393mg | Iron: 5mg

The post Cheeseburger Macaroni Skillet appeared first on My Dinner Recipes.

Delicious chicken recipes seem to be a dime a dozen these days. I feel like I’ve tried them all, but most leave me feeling like a want something more. That certainly isn’t the case with this tender chicken with luscious creamy sauce.

I’m always looking for easy dinner ideas to put on the dinner table- whether for my family or dinner guests. And this recipe is the best way to do it.

It tastes like it came straight from an italian restaurant with it’s bold flavors and creamy parmesan sauce. But in reality, it couldn’t be easier to make.

What to Serve Creamy Tuscan Chicken With

Of course, the options are really endless, but I do have a few suggestions of things that pair really well with this chicken dish;

• White rice
• Polenta
• Mashed potatoes
• Egg noodles
• Green beans
• Cauliflower rice
• Angel hair pasta
• Rigatoni pasta
• Crusty bread

Ingredients

You only need a handful of ingredients to make this great recipe. Most you might already have on hand. For the complete list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card.

• Chicken breasts – We are going to be cutting these in half making cutlets, so I like them to be bigger in size.
• Coarse kosher salt – Different salts measure differently, so make sure to use coarse kosher or change the measurements accordingly.
• Ground black pepper – I like to use freshly ground pepper when cooking, but you can also use the pepper out of your shaker.
• Butter – To control the amount of salt in a this marry me chicken, I like to use unsalted butter. If all you have is salted, just omit the extra salt in the recipe.
• Garlic cloves – I always like using fresh garlic as opposed to garlic powder. The flavor is more pungent and it makes for a much more delicious chicken dinner.
• Flour – This acts as a thickening agent for the cream sauce. It helps to coat the chicken in that deliciously creamy sauce.
• Chicken broth – If you don’t have any on hand, it will turn out just as delicious with vegetable stock or chicken stock instead.
• Heavy cream – In order to make this light cream sauce, we whisk in a little bit of heavy cream.
• Parmesan cheese – I always choose to grate my own cheese. The pre-shredded cheese has an added element that doesn’t allow the cheese to melt smoothly.
• Sun-dried tomatoes – Find them in a jar in oil at your local grocery store.
• Bacon – This is optional, but I highly recommend for an added crunch and flavor to the marry me chicken sauce.
• Crushed red pepper flakes – Also optional, but if you’d like to add a bit of spice to this easy recipe, this is the way to do it.
• Fresh basil – This is used as a garnish, but the bright color and fragrant flavor add another element to this already delicious dish. You could also use fresh spinach.

How to Make Creamy Tuscan Chicken

1. Prepare chicken. Cut chicken breasts in half horizontally to make then thinner, leaving you with 4-6 chicken cutlets. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Cook chicken. Heat olive oil in a large skillet to medium heat. Add chicken, turning to brown the exterior, approximately 4 minutes on each side. Chicken might not be fully cooked. Remove to a plate and set aside.
3. Melt butter. In the same skillet, with juices browned bits and oil, add the butter, allowing it to melt, then the garlic. Sauté until fragrant.
4. Whisk flour. Whisk in the flour, making a roux paste. Then slowly pour in the chicken broth, still whisking, until it forms a sauce.
5. Add cream. Whisk in the cream until fully blended and then the parmesan cheese, still whisking. When cheese has melted, add Italian seasoning and return the chicken back to the sauce, turning to coat.
6. Simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the sun dried tomatoes, bacon and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired. Top with fresh basil.

Variations

• Chicken – Feel free to swap the boneless skinless chicken breasts with boneless skinless chicken thighs. They tend to have more flavor, but make sure to adjust the cook time accordingly. I don’t recommend bone-in chicken thighs for this tuscan creamy chicken just for sake of time.
• Spice – Add a little kick to this creamy tuscan garlic chicken recipe by adding some chili flakes or up the amount of red pepper flakes in the sundried tomato cream sauce.
• Fresh tomatoes – Can’t find sundried tomatoes at your grocery store? Swap in some cherry tomatoes into the decadent sauce instead and it will taste just as good.
• Fresh herbs – Rather than use Italian seasoning, or in addition to, chop up some fresh herbs like basil and thyme and add it to the delicious sauce.

Storage, Reheating and Freezing

Storage: Store any leftover creamy tuscan chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Reheating: You can reheat in the microwave or in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat to enjoy it the next day.

Freezing: I do not recommend freezing a cream sauce. They tend to turn a little grainy when reheated.

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Creamy Tuscan Chicken

Juicy chicken breasts in a creamy sauce and ready in under an hour, this Creamy Tuscan Chicken recipe is the perfect weeknight meal!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword creamy tuscan chicken

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 569kcal

Ingredients

• 2-3 large chicken breasts*
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 large garlic cloves minced or grated
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup parmesan cheese finely grated
• 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
• ½ cup sun dried tomatoes in oil drained and chopped
• ¼ cup bacon cooked and crumbled, optional
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
• 8-10 leaves fresh basil chiffonade cut

Instructions

• Cut chicken breasts in half horizontally to make then thinner, leaving you with 4-6 chicken cutlets.
• Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add chicken, turning to brown the exterior, approximately 4 minutes on each side. Chicken might not be fully cooked. Remove to a plate and set aside. If you are using a smaller skillet and 6 pieces of chicken, you might need to work in batches for this step.
• In the same skillet, with juices browned bits and oil, add the butter, allowing it to melt, then the garlic. Sauté for 1 minutes until fragrant.
• Whisk in the flour, making a roux paste. Then slowly pour in the chicken broth, still whisking, until it forms a sauce. Whisk in the cream until fully blended and then the parmesan cheese, still whisking.
• When cheese has melted, add Italian seasoning and return the chicken back to the sauce, turning to coat. Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the sun dried tomatoes, bacon and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired. Top with fresh basil.
• Serve over rice, creamy polenta, pasta or mashed potatoes.
• If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Nutrition

Calories: 569kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 1083mg | Potassium: 805mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1286IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 215mg | Iron: 2mg

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