Slow Cooker Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese

Creamy, cheesy, Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese gets just a touch of heat from green chiles. This slow cooker recipe has the easiest, fastest prep ever for busy days!

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Sometimes you just need easy comfort food to get you through a tough and busy day.  Easy, as in simply stirring ingredients together and then letting a crockpot slow cook a delicious comforting meal.

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• Ingredients
• Instructions
• My Top Tips
• Additions
• Substitutions
• More Simply Delicious Dinners
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A few months ago, my neighbor Donalyn, knew I was having one of those days and she was having a tough time too. She graciously made this particular recipe and gifted me with a comfort meal that I will never forget. Her macaroni and cheese was so creamy, so cheesy, with just a touch of green chile heat, I just had to ask for the recipe. I was so surprised when the prep was as simple as stirring the ingredients in a slow cooker and then letting it slow cook away!

These are the kind of dinners you dream of being able to make. We all need easy and comforting food, especially when life is too busy and too complicated.

Now, you might be thinking, “Another mac & cheese”? Humbug! But this macaroni and cheese is made extra special with the addition of green chiles and diced tomatoes. I love mac and cheese that has tomato added and this version has another kick-up in flavor with the addition of green chiles.

Are you ready to make the easiest, kicked-up mac and cheese? Great!

So, let's cook!

Ingredients

This slightly spicy macaroni and cheese has only 7 ingredients plus water:

• Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup - Condensed soup is the wonder ingredient that is the basis for this sauce.
• Diced Green Chiles - For the best flavor choose a fire-roasted diced green chile.
• Sour Cream - Classic mac and cheese begins with a bechamel sauce that contains milk. This quick prep slow cooker recipe includes sour cream to bring the dairy element plus a tangy flavor.
• Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles - I prefer to use the mild variety as it is the most versatile.
• Macaroni - Elbow macaroni, penne, rigatoni, and cellentani pasta are all excellent choices and are interchangeable in this recipe.
• Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese - Although any cheddar cheese is delicious and works well in this recipe, sharp cheddar cheese brings a bigger punch of flavor.
• Croutons - Optional - Crushed croutons are very tasty as a topper to this dish. Garlic and cheese, Caesar, and simply cheese-flavored croutons are good choices.

Another great thing about this recipe is you can completely personalize it for your own taste. Want it spicier? Don't have cheddar cheese soup? Want another layer of flavor or more protein? I also tell you how you can easily make these substitutions and additions!

Instructions

Step 1 - In a large 6-quart slow cooker, whisk together the condensed cheddar cheese soup, sour cream, Rotel diced tomatoes, fire-roasted green chiles, and water. Add the entire contents of each can and do not drain.

Step 2 - Stir in the macaroni and 1 cup of the shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Reserve the remaining 1 cup of cheese for later. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on low for 3 hours.

Step 3 - Remove the lid and stir the macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle the top with the reserved 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Recover with the lid and continue to cook for 1 hour.

Step 4 - OPTIONAL - If desired, add crushed croutons on top of the layer of shredded cheese, before proceeding to continue to cook for 1 hour.

PRO TIP - To keep the crushed croutons crunchy, line the lid of the slow cooker with a paper towel which keeps the cooking condensate from falling onto the croutons.

My Top Tips

Many times, I have a left-over partial box of uncooked pasta. Instead of keeping multiple individual partial boxes of pasta, I keep all kinds of leftover pasta that have the same cooking time in a large storage container. The variety of shapes is fun to use in pasta dishes.

Although the cooking time is 4 hours, this dish can remain in the slow cooker for up to a total of 6 hours on low.

Additions

You can change up the flavor by adding any of the following choices. However, you should not add more than a total of two cups of additions:

• 1 Large Can of Chicken, drained.
• 2 Cups of Shredded Cooked Chicken
• 1 Large Can of Solid White Albacore Tuna, drained
• 1 Cup of Crispy French Fried Onions
• 1 Cup of Fresh or Frozen Corn Kernels

Substitutions

Make this macaroni and cheese spicier or change up the soup and macaroni for what you prefer or have on hand in the pantry:

• Rotel Mild Tomatoes & Green Chiles - Substitute the "Original" for more spice or the "Hot" for real heat.
• Mild Green Chiles - Substitute "Fire Roasted" for a smokier flavor or amp up the heat with a spicier chile.
• Cheddar Cheese Condensed Soup - Substitute Cream of Chicken, Cream of Mushroom, or any other "cream" variety you like.
• Macaroni Pasta - Any hearty pasta is fantastic! Penne, rigatoni, and cellentani pasta are all excellent choices and are interchangeable for macaroni in this recipe.

As you see there are lots of variations for this green chile macaroni and cheese. I heartily recommend adding shredded rotisserie chicken. I love the extra taste, texture, and protein boost of chicken.

Serve this kicked-up mac and cheese with a nice green salad, or some veg, and you have the easiest full-out comfort meal, you might have ever made!

More Simply Delicious Dinners

• Spaghetti Aglio with Green Peas
• Italian Meat Sauce
• Maple Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf
• Italian Seasoned Pork Chops in Creamed Corn

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