This easy, cheesy, and overly satisfying Chili Mac is great for large groups and won’t break the bank!
Behold, the coveted Chili Mac! Once upon a time, in undisclosed lands across the globe, the young men of America’s military (the Marines, at least) reduced themselves to dog piles, strange methods of bartering, and “friendly competition” for this very meal. Of course, I’m talking about the MRE, Menu 10 Chili and Macaroni. With a shelf life that is measured in years and easy, quick-heat instructions, it was one of the most sought meals in the field. All you had to do was add water and prop it up against a rock or something. 😆 Literally, that’s what the instructions say!!
Giving homage to my field food days, I still put this on the dinner table occasionally. It’s easy, cheesy, and overly satisfying. This dish is also a great option for serving a large crowd because you can provide hearty portions in bulk size. Plus, it doesn’t cost a lot of time or money.
Chili Seasoning
So, the easiest route here is going to be the chili seasoning packs that you can purchase at almost any grocery store. That is what will be in the recipe below. With that being said, that is rarely the route that I take. I often combine a variation of Flavor God seasonings, such as Everything, Spicy Everything, Taco Tuesday, and Chipotle to name a few. Another option is to make your own. Creating your own spice rubs and blends involves a fair amount of time and even more trial and error. Also, the end result can depend on your personal palate. Overall, the below ingredients should be a good starting point for most.
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tbsp smoked chili powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp red pepper
The Noodles
Naturally, when I think Macaroni, the first thing that pops into my head is elbow noodles. Those work here, obviously, but so do many other types of noodles (see left photo). I encourage you to try out different types to find your favorite. Noodles such as rotini, rigatoni, penne, bowtie (farfalle), ziti, and shells (conchiglie) are all 
possibilities. I’d probably steer clear of the stringy noodles such as spaghetti, angel hair, linguine, etc., though. Regardless of which you choose, I do have one tip. The ones with ridges in the sides like Barilla Elbow noodles (above) or Rigatoni (left), seem to hold sauce and cheese better.
Chili Mac
Ingredients
- 1 packet of Chili seasoning
- 16 oz of macaroni noodles
- 1 lb of ground meat
- 12 oz of American cheese (shredded or cubed)
- 1 can of fire roasted tomatoes
- 1/2 onion (chopped)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and boil for 8-10 minutes, or cook per package instructions. Stir occasionally.
- In a dutch oven, season the meat with chili seasoning and brown over medium high heat.
- When the meat is browned about halfway, add the onion. Continue cooking until meat is fully browned.
- Add the fire roasted tomatoes to the meat and onion. Be sure to scrape the bottom to remove any brown bits. Lower the heat to medium and allow it to cook down for about 5 minutes.
- Drain the pasta and add to the dutch oven with the meat, onions, and tomatoes. The meat mixture should have developed a "pasty" texture. Reduce heat to low and mix well.
- Slowly pour in the cheese, stirring continuously. Feel free to use different cheeses here. I've done the cheddar and American mix, like in the Zesty Mac & Cheese recipe, and a mix of Velveeta and Mexican 4-cheese blend, too. All are equally tasty in their own way.
- Cover and let sit on low for a few minutes as the cheese melts thoroughly. Stir regularly to prevent clumping.
- Remove from heat, serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 454Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 930mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 31g