Broccoli Chicken Mac and Cheese

October 2021. Fall in Memphis, and I am 62, walking the neighborhood in my light jacket, watching the leaves turn on the oaks and maples that line Deadrick Avenue. The smoker is happy in fall — the cooler air holds the smoke lower, keeps it closer to the meat, and the results are always a shade better in October than in July, as if the season itself is a seasoning.

Rosetta beside me through the week, steady as ever, the woman who runs this household with the precision of a hospital ward and the heart of a mother who has loved fiercely for 37 years of marriage.

I made smoked chicken this week — a simple cook that belies its depth. Rubbed with salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika, smoked at 275 over hickory for three hours. The skin was mahogany, the meat juicy, and the first bite carried the kind of flavor that makes you close your eyes, which is the highest compliment food can earn: the involuntary closing of the eyes, the body's admission that what it's tasting is too good to see.

Another week in the book. Another seven days of tending fires — the one in the smoker, the one in the marriage, the one in the family, the one in the church. Each fire needs something different: wood, attention, food, faith. But the tending is the same for all of them: show up, add what's needed, wait patiently, trust the process. Low and slow. Always. Low and slow.

That smoked chicken doesn’t always get eaten standing over the smoker—sometimes Rosetta and I bring it inside, pull it from the bone, and fold it into something that fills the whole kitchen with warmth. On a fall evening in October, when the air outside is just cool enough to make you want to linger at the table a little longer, Broccoli Chicken Mac and Cheese is exactly the kind of dish that earns its keep. It’s patient food—low effort, high reward—and it has that same quality I look for in everything worth doing: it takes care of the people you love without asking for much fanfare in return.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

12 oz elbow macaroni or cavatappi pasta
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped (smoked or rotisserie works beautifully)
3 cups small broccoli florets
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
1/2 cup Gruyere or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (optional, for topping)
1 tablespoon olive oil (if using breadcrumb topping)

Instructions

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until just al dente. In the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets to the pot. Drain together and set aside.
Make the roux. In the same pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute until the mixture is lightly golden and smells nutty.
Build the cheese sauce. Slowly pour in the warmed milk and chicken broth, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 5–7 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Add the cheese and seasonings. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the cheddar and Gruyere a handful at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next. Season with garlic powder, smoked paprika, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust.
Combine everything. Add the cooked chicken, drained pasta, and broccoli to the cheese sauce. Stir gently until everything is well coated and heated through, about 2 minutes.
Optional breadcrumb topping. If desired, transfer to a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish. Toss breadcrumbs with olive oil and sprinkle over the top. Broil on high for 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp. Watch closely.
Serve. Dish up while hot and let the table do the rest.

Nutrition (per serving)

Broccoli Chicken Mac and Cheese — Low and Slow, Then Something Warm for the Table