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Overhead shot of pasta, ground beef, and cheese with a wooden spoon inside the skillet pan.
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Chili Mac Recipe

Enjoy this quick & easy Chili Mac Recipe for dinner tonight with only 6 ingredients! Starts with a box of deluxe macaroni and cheese, ground beef, beans, and seasonings. This 30 minute meal is always a hit with my family. 
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword chili mac, chili mac recipe, quick easy chili mac recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 429kcal
Author Jessica - Together as Family

Ingredients

  • 1 box (24 oz) Family Size Kraft Deluxe Mac & Cheese
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 yellow onion finely diced
  • 1 can (16 oz) chili beans (do not drain)
  • 1 can (10 oz) mild rotel (do not drain)
  • 1 packet mild chili seasoning

Instructions

  • Cook the macaroni noodles (from the box of deluxe mac & cheese) according to package instructions. Save the foil pack of cheese sauce for later.
    Once done, drain the pasta but do not rinse it. Set aside for later.
    1 box (24 oz) Family Size Kraft Deluxe Mac & Cheese
  • Cook and crumble the ground beef and onion, in a large skillet pan over medium-high heat, until no longer pink. Drain the excess grease.
    * Make sure to use a large skillet pan (like 5 QT or bigger) so you can fit all the other ingredients into it.
    1 lb lean ground beef, 1 yellow onion
  • Add the cooked pasta, chili beans, rotel, and chili seasoning. Stir to combine and let cook for about 5-8 minutes.
    1 can (16 oz) chili beans, 1 can (10 oz) mild rotel, 1 packet mild chili seasoning
  • Add the cheese sauce from the foil packet into the pan and stir well to combine.
  • Serve immediately!
    * My family loves this served with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and thinly sliced green onions.

Notes

Recipe Tips -
  • Use a Ground Meat Chopper : I always recommend using a ground meat chopper when cooking and crumbling any ground meat on the stove top. It breaks up the meat into small pieces and just works really well! It's probably one of my most used kitchen tools. 
  • Mild Chili Seasoning : I only recommend using the mild packet of chili seasoning mix. This recipe has been tested several times and the taste was much butter (not as intense) when mild chili seasoning was used. 
  • Rotel : Even the mild version has a slight spice to it which my family loved and it pairs nicely with the cheese and toppings. You can also use medium rotel or hot & spicy rotel if you want things really spicy!
  • Chili Beans : Use the correct chili beans. These are canned pinto beans in a mild chili sauce. No need to drain it, just dump in the contents from the can. The can will specifically say 'chili beans' on it and you'll find it by the other canned beans in the grocery store. 
  • Use a Larger Pot : Because you mix everything together with the ground beef, make sure you are cooking the ground beef in a pot or pan big enough to hold everything. It's not a ton of food so it doesn't have to be huge, but it more than likely won't fit inside a small skillet pan. 
  • Spice Level!
    • This version of chili Mac is slightly spicy because of the mild rotel tomatoes. Even the mild rotel has some spice to it, but it was not so spicy that my kids wouldn't eat it. It was a good flavorful spice. Chili beans are not spicy and the recipe calls for mild chili seasoning which pairs nicely with the big flavors of the cheese sauce and rotel. 
    • Can I Make It Spicier?
      • Yes! There are lots of ways to make this chili Mac recipe spicy if that's what you want. Here are some ideas:
        • Use medium rotel or hot & spicy rotel tomatoes. 
        • Use a packet of hot or regular chili seasoning for a heavier spice and chili flavor. 
        • Add some cayenne pepper, chili powder, or red pepper fakes into the mixture or into the ground beef when cooking it. 
        • Garnish the chili mac with sliced jalapeños and/or shredded Pepper Jack cheese. 
    • Can I Make It Milder?
      • Yes, of course! There are just a couple ways to make this dish with very little to no spice at all 
        • Use a can of petite diced tomatoes instead of mild rotel OR use a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies. 
        • Try using a sweeter Vidalia onion.
        • I don't think the chili beans are spicy at all but you can try using a can of regular pinto beans that have been drained & rinsed. I have never done this so I can't say for sure if it will affect the creamy factor of the pasta mixture. 

Nutrition

Calories: 429kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 1104mg | Potassium: 708mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 110IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 5mg