| Fast Prep | Make Ahead

barbecue chicken and bacon macaroni and cheese

prep: 20 minutes | slow cook: 6 hours (low) or 3 hours (high) + 20 minutes (high) | stand: 5 minutes | MAKES: 9 servings (1 cup each)

• 1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2½ cups water
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped dill pickles
• 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
• 12 slices lower-sodium bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
• 1 12-oz. pkg. no-boil, no-drain rotini pasta, such as Barilla Pronto
• 8 oz. sliced American cheese, torn into bite-size pieces
• ¼ to ½ cup whole milk
• ¾ cup bottled barbecue sauce
• ⅓ cup finely chopped red onion

1. In a 4-qt. slow cooker combine the first five ingredients (through mustard) and half of the bacon. Cover and cook on low 6 hours or on high 3 hours.

2. If using low, turn cooker to high. Stir in pasta. Cover and cook 10 minutes; stir. Cover and cook 10 minutes more; stir again. Top with the cheese (do not stir). Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Add milk and stir to combine.

3. To serve, drizzle each serving with barbecue sauce and top with remaining bacon and chopped red onion.

TO MAKE AHEAD: If your slow cooker has a warm setting, you can hold the macaroni and cheese up to 2 hours. If mixture begins to look dry, stir in up to ½ cup additional milk to reach desired consistency.

PER SERVING: 388 cal., 16 g fat (8 g sat. fat), 84 mg chol., 904 mg sodium, 40 g carb., 0 g fiber, 10 g sugars, 22 g pro.