Green Chile Mac & Cheese: creamy, cheesy mac with a hint of green chile heat-simple crockpot comfort with just 7 ingredients!
Creamy, cheesy, and packed with mild green chile flavor, this Crockpot Green Chile Mac and Cheese is an easy comfort food dinner made with just seven simple ingredients. Everything cooks together in the slow cooker, creating rich, creamy macaroni with just a little Southwestern kick.
Now you might be wondering, "Will green chiles make mac and cheese spicy? and the answer is no. Canned mild green chiles add flavor more than heat, so this recipe has a gentle Southwestern taste rather than a fiery kick.
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.
This is exactly that type of recipe. It has 7 ingredients, 10 minutes of prep time, and makes a main dish or side dish everyone will love.
🔍 Quick Look: Crockpot Green Chile Mac and Cheese
- Ready in: Prep Time: 10 minutes, Slow Cook Time: 4 Hours
- Servings: 8
- Calories: ~302 kcal
- Main Ingredients: Macaroni, shredded cheese, canned green chiles, cheddar cheese soup, sour cream
- Flavor Profile: Creamy • Cheesy • Mild Green Chile • Southwestern
- Mixing Technique: Whisk • Stir
- Cook Method: Crockpot (Slow Cooker)
- Difficulty: Super Easy, just dump, stir, and cook.
- Why You'll Love It: This creamy, Southwestern mac and cheese with mild chile flavor is simple to make and cooks unattended for hours.
Jump to:
- 🔍 Quick Look: Crockpot Green Chile Mac and Cheese
- Why You'll Love This Crockpot Green Chile Mac and Cheese
- What Makes Green Chile Mac and Cheese Different?
- Why I Love This Crockpot Green Chile Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Ingredient Notes for this Crockpot Green Chile Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Substitutions
- Can I Use Hatch Green Chiles?
- Additions & Variations
- How to Make Crockpot Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese
- My Top Tips
- What to Serve With Green Chile Mac and Cheese
- Crockpot Green Chile Mac and Cheese FAQs
- Storage & Reheating Instructions
- More Crockpot Dinners You'll Love
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why You'll Love This Crockpot Green Chile Mac and Cheese
- 10-minute Prep
- Everything Cooks Together in One Crockpot
- Cooks Unattended for Hours
- Mild Green Chile Flavor the Whole Family Can Enjoy
- Creamy Texture
- Easy to Customize with Boosts of Protein, Flavor, or Spicy Heat
What Makes Green Chile Mac and Cheese Different?
Unlike traditional mac and cheese, Green Chile Mac and Cheese has a mild Southwestern flavor from green chiles. The chiles add earthy notes without overwhelming the creamy cheddar cheese sauce. Because most canned green chiles are mild, this recipe is flavorful rather than fiery, making it a family-friendly twist on classic comfort food.
Why I Love This Crockpot Green Chile Mac and Cheese Recipe
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 flavor; I just had to ask for the recipe.
I was so surprised when the prep was as simple as stirring the ingredients in a crockpot and then just 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 complicated. This crockpot/slow cooker recipe has the easiest and fastest prep ever for busy days!
Ingredient Notes for this Crockpot Green Chile Mac and Cheese Recipe
Here's everything you'll need to make this Crockpot Green Chile Mac and Cheese. Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.
This mildly spicy crockpot macaroni and cheese has only 7 ingredients plus water:
- Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup - Condensed soup is the time-saving wonder ingredient that is the basis for this sauce.
- Mild Chopped Green Chiles - Mild Chopped Green Chiles keep the flavor profile family-friendly.
- Sour Cream - Classic mac and cheese begins with a bechamel sauce that contains milk. This quick prep crockpot recipe includes sour cream to bring the dairy element plus a tangy flavor.
- Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles - Use the mild variety for flavor without heat.
- Macaroni - Elbow macaroni is the standard for mac and cheese, but you can also use penne, rigatoni, and cellentani pasta because they have the same cooking time.
- Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese - Sharp cheddar cheese brings a bigger punch of flavor and pairs well with chiles.
- Croutons - Optional - Crushed croutons are a tasty topper for this dish. Garlic and cheese, Caesar, and cheese-flavored croutons are good choices.
Substitutions
Instead of the original ingredients, try these tasty substitutions to make this macaroni and cheese spicier, or to use what you have on hand in the pantry:
- Instead of Rotel Mild Tomatoes & Green Chiles: Substitute the "Original" for more spice or the "Hot" for real heat.
- Instead of Mild Green Chiles: Substitute "Fire Roasted" for a smokier flavor or raise the spice heat with a spicier chile.
- Instead of Cheddar Cheese Condensed Soup: Substitute Cream of Chicken, Cream of Mushroom, or any other "cream" variety you like.
- Instead of 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 can 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 green chile mac and cheese with a nice green salad or some veggies, and you have the easiest full-out comfort meal you might have ever made!
Can I Use Hatch Green Chiles?
Want authentic Hatch flavor? Hatch Green Chiles are very popular and prized for their smoky, roasted flavor. Grown in New Mexico's Hatch Valley, they are typically in season from mid-July through early October, but many grocery stores carry them frozen and already roasted year-round.
If you can find fresh or frozen Hatch green chiles, swap about ½ cup of chopped, roasted Hatch chiles for the canned diced chiles.
Or, swap a can of chopped or diced Hatch Green Chiles for the regular green chiles and do not drain for extra flavor!
Hatch chiles aren't required for this recipe, but they add a richer roasted flavor if you happen to find them during Hatch chile season.
Additions & Variations
You can change up the flavor and nutrition by adding any of the following choices. However, you should not add more than a total of two cups of additions:
Add Additional Protein:
- 1 Large Can of Chicken, drained.
- 2 Cups of Shredded Cooked Chicken
- 1 Large Can of Solid White Albacore Tuna, drained
Add Flavor Changers:
- 1 Cup of Crispy French Fried Onions will make it more savory.
- 1 Cup of Fresh or Frozen Corn Kernels will add a touch of sweetness.
How to Make Crockpot Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese
♡ So, let's cook!
Step 1: Whisk Ingredients in Crockpot. In a large 6-quart crockpot, whisk together the condensed cheddar cheese soup, sour cream, Rotel diced tomatoes, chopped green chiles, and water. Add the entire contents of each can and do not drain.
Step 2: Add, Stir, & Cook. Stir in the macaroni and 1 cup of the shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Reserve the remaining 1 cup of cheese for later. Cover the crockpot with the lid and cook on low for 3 hours.
Step 3: Top with Cheese & Cook. Remove the lid and stir the macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle the top with the reserved 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Re-cover with the lid and continue to cook for 1 hour.
OPTIONAL-If desired, add crushed croutons on top of the layer of shredded cheese before proceeding to cook for 1 hour.
My Top Tips
♡ To keep the crushed croutons crunchy, line the lid of the crockpot with a paper towel, which keeps the cooking condensate from falling onto the croutons.
♡ I keep all kinds of leftover pasta that have the same cooking time in a large glass canister. Many times, I have a leftover partial box of uncooked pasta. Instead of keeping many individual, partial boxes of pasta, I add them to this jar. The variety of shapes is fun to use in pasta dishes.
♡ Although the cooking time is 4 hours, this dish can remain in the crockpot for up to a total of 6 hours on low.
What to Serve With Green Chile Mac and Cheese
Delicious as a main dish or as a side dish, we love Green Chile Mac and Cheese paired with these dishes:
- Fresh Green Salad with a Vinaigrette Dressing
- Roasted Vegetables
- Cornbread Casserole
- Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
- Oven Barbecued Ribs
Crockpot Green Chile Mac and Cheese FAQs
Yes, along with other pasta shapes like penne, rigatoni, and cellentani pasta.
Mild canned green chiles are much milder than jalapeños. They add a gentle roasted chile flavor instead of intense heat, making this recipe flavorful without being overly spicy.
You can, however, because it is a crockpot recipe with little prep, it is not necessary to make it ahead.
A six-quart crockpot is perfect, so that you have plenty of room to stir the mac and cheese.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Storage: You can store leftover Green Chile Mac & Cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Adding a small amount of water to this mac & cheese will help loosen the mixture so it reheats easily. You can reheat it gently in the microwave or on the stove in a skillet.
More Crockpot Dinners You'll Love
♡ Did you love this Crockpot Green Chile Mac and Cheese? Please leave a star rating and a comment below!
📖 Recipe
Crockpot Green Chile Mac and Cheese
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Equipment
- Six Quart Crockpot
Ingredients
- 1 Can Cheddar Cheese Soup, Condensed , 10.5 Ounce Can
- 1 Cup Sour Cream
- 1 Can Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Mild Green Chiles, 10 Ounce Can
- 1 Can Mild Chopped Green Chiles, 4 Ounce Can
- 1 Cup Water
- ½ Pound Macaroni or Pasta, Uncooked
- 2 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded and Divided
- 2 Cups Crushed Croutons
Instructions
- Whisk Ingredients in Crockpot. In a large 6 quart slow cooker, whisk together the condensed cheddar cheese soup, sour cream, Rotel diced tomatoes, chopped green chiles, and water. Add the entire contents of each can and do not drain.1 Can Cheddar Cheese Soup, 1 Cup Sour Cream, 1 Can Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Mild Green Chiles, 1 Can Mild Chopped Green Chiles, 1 Cup Water
- Add, Stir, & Cook. 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.½ Pound Macaroni or Pasta, 2 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Top with Cheese & Cook. 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.OPTIONAL - If desired, add crushed croutons on top of the layer of shredded cheese, before proceeding to continue to cook for 1 hour. Serve and Enjoy!2 Cups Crushed Croutons
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Per 1 serving. All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
Encharted Cook™ or Jan Nunes shall not be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or recommendations on this website or actions you take as a result.
© 2018-2026 Encharted Cook, Jan Nunes. All rights reserved.
katherine brooks says
Perfect for game day! Perfect for any day! Love it! Love it! Love it!
Jessica says
How much pasta would equal 1/2 a pound?
Jan Nunes says
Hi Jessica!
Thank you for your question!
A 1/2 pound of pasta is equal to 8 oz. Many pastas are sold in one pound packages. So, you would use 1/2 of a package.
Please let me know if you have any other questions... I'm glad to help!
~Jan