Low FODMAP Chicken & Bacon Ranch Mac and Cheese
Did the title get you excited? Every time I see the words “Low FODMAP Chicken & Bacon Ranch Mac and Cheese” I admit that my salivary glands respond on their own and I cannot wait to dive in! This is like a classic mac and cheese bumped up a notch or two. You do make a from-scratch cheese sauce, beginning with a butter/flour roux, but then in addition to lactose-free milk you whisk in Live Free Ranch Dressing!
Ingredients:
Pasta, Sauce & Chicken:
- 12- ounces (340 g) low FODMAP gluten-free elbow, penne, or ziti pasta, cooked al dente
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 2 tablespoons low FODMAP gluten-free all-purpose flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) whole lactose-free milk, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) preferably Live Free Ranch Dressing, or our Low FODMAP Ranch Dressing recipe
- 5- ounces (140 g) shredded cheddar cheese; you can use mild, medium or sharp; yellow or white cheddar
- 2 ½- ounces (70 g) shredded Monterey jack cheese
- 1/2 cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 7- ounces (200 g; about 1 ¼ cups) coarsely chopped or shredded low FODMAP cooked chicken
- 6 strips meaty bacon, cooked crisp, divided
- 2 tablespoons minced scallion greens
Breadcrumb Topping:
- 1/3 cup (60 g) low FODMAP gluten-free panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon Live Free Ranch Dressing
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley; optional
Preparation:
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Preheat oven to 350° (180°C). Coat a 13-inch by 9-inch (33 cm by 22 cm) casserole with nonstick spray; or do what I did and use bacon fat!
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Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente; drain well and return to pot (instead of dirtying an extra bowl).
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For Sauce, Pasta & Chicken: Meanwhile, in a separate medium saucepan, melt butter over low-medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk. Adjust heat and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly until thick and glossy, about 2 minutes. Whisk in Live Free Ranch Dressing, then stir in cheddar, Monterey jack and Parmesan cheeses. Pour over pasta in large pot. Add chicken to pot along with about half of the bacon (do this by eye) and scallion greens and fold everything together until thoroughly mixed. Scrape into prepared pan.
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If you would like to freeze the casserole, do so at this time. Wrap very well with plastic wrap, then with foil. Defrost in refrigerator overnight, bring to room temperature, then proceed with topping and baking.
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For Breadcrumb Topping: In a small bowl stir the panko together with the melted butter, Live Free Ranch Dressing, and remaining bacon. Scatter evenly over the pasta and chicken. Bake uncovered for about 30 to 35 minutes or until topping is golden brown and casserole is bubbling. Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve.
Notes:
FODMAP Information
Our recipes are based on Monash University and FODMAP Friendly science.
• Butter: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested butter. Monash states that a low FODMAP Green Light portion is 1 tablespoon or 19 g and also states that “butter is high in fat and does not contain carbohydrates (FODMAPs)”. FODMAP Friendly gives it a “Pass” at 1 tablespoon or 19 g. Both recommended serving sizes are presented as part of healthy eating guidelines, not as maximum FODMAP serving size. Fat can affect guy motility and trigger IBS symptoms in some people. Eat to your tolerance.
• Cheese: Many cheeses have low FODMAP serving sizes. The low FODMAP diet is not a dairy-free diet. Hard cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano have been lab tested by Monash University and are low FODMAP in 40 g amounts.
• Dairy: The low FODMAP diet is not a dairy-free diet. It is however, low in lactose. Many dairy ingredients are low in lactose, such as heavy cream and many cheeses.
• Lactose-Free Dairy: Lactose-free dairy, such as lactose-free milk or lactose-free cream cheese, has lactase enzyme added that breaks the disaccharide molecules and creates a more digestible dairy product, from a lactose perspective. The resulting product is not dairy-free, but it is lactose-free. Some products might have miniscule amounts of lactose remaining, but the amount is small enough for the product to be labeled as lactose-free. For instance, Breyers Lactose-Free Vanilla Ice Cream states it is 99% lactose-free, while Lactaid Vanilla Ice Cream states it is 100% lactose-free.
• Pasta: You have to read labels, but there are many low FODMAP gluten-free brands of pasta available. Use what is called for in individual recipes. Our go-to is rice-based pasta. Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have both tested “gluten-free” pasta, but they do not specify what the pasta was made from. Monash says gluten-free pasta is low FODMAP at 145 g or 1 cup cooked; FODMAP Friendly lab testing suggested 2 cups or 146 g cooked is low FODMAP. Monash has also lab tested pasta made from rice, which they list under “rice stick” and it is low FODMAP at 220 g, which no Moderate or High FODMAP amounts given.
• Scallions: The green parts of scallions are low FODMAP as determined by Monash University lab testing and can be used to add onion flavor to your low FODMAP cooking.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.