Chick-fil-A's Mac And Cheese Is So Good I'm Never Making It From Scratch Again

Sorry, Mimi. Sometimes store-bought is the way to go.

Chick Fil A Mac and Cheese
Photo: Courtesy Chick-fil-A

A couple of weeks ago, I hosted Friendsgiving for a few people in my tiny apartment. Given that we were all about to roll out of town for the holiday, the menu theme was 'easy and no fuss.' I skipped the turkey in favor of Publix fried chicken, and our baking labors were limited to sliding a pan of Sister Schubert's dinner rolls into the oven (thankfully, we hadn't planned to include the sausage wrap rolls; may they rest in peace). In the spirit of our minimal-effort, maximum-enjoyment celebration, my friend Patricia showed up with an aluminum foil tray of macaroni and cheese from Chick-fil-A. But here's the thing—if she hadn't brought it over in the red-and-white plastic catering bag, I never would've guessed that it wasn't homemade.

To start with, Chick-fil-A's macaroni and cheese just looks like it was made from scratch, like the kind that your grandmother would bring to a church potluck. The top layer of cheeses is bubbly and golden brown in places, a testament to the fact that the casserole is baked in-house daily; and it appears properly lumpy, evidence of the thick noodles underneath. Of course, looks don't matter much if the taste doesn't match.

The first forkful won me over. The outer shell is the tiniest bit crispy, yielding a satisfying little crunch before giving way to the gloriously creamy noodles underneath. The website reveals that Chick-fil-A uses a "special blend of cheeses including cheddar, Parmesan, and Romano" (which make for a tantalizing cheese pull), but I'm convinced that there's also some American cheese in the mix to produce its crave-worthy, melty texture. I went back for seconds and snuck a final spoonful during cleanup.

At $33 for a tray (price can vary by location) that feeds 10 people, it's may not be the most economical decision you'll make for a dinner party. But given the time you'll save by skipping the grocery store trip and the hour of preparation, I feel like it's a worthy investment, especially since you can play it off as homemade—as long as you leave the Chick-fil-A bag at home.

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