How to Make Chorizo Chile Mac ‘N’ Cheese?

Ingredients

• For 4 servings,
• Sauce
• 16 oz beef chorizo(450 g)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 ⅓ cups red bell pepper(135 g), diced/small
• ⅓ cup small jalapeño(30 g), diced
• 1 ¼ teaspoons Mccormick® ground cumin
• ¾ teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon McCormick® Smoked Paprika
• ½ teaspoon McCormick® Onion Powder
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 45 oz heavy cream(1.3 L)
• 2 ⅓ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese(235 g)
• 2 ⅓ cups shredded pepper jack cheese(235 g)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• Pasta
• 1 lb dried cellentani pasta(455 g), cooked according to package instructions

• Panko crust
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs(115 g)
• 3 teaspoons olive oil
• ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese(75 g)

• Garnish
• 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced

Method

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Make the sauce: Add the beef chorizo to a 2-quart pan over medium heat. Once the chorizo starts to sizzle, stir and scrape the bottom of the pan, breaking the chorizo into smaller pieces, 3–5 minutes.
• Transfer half of the chorizo to a medium bowl and set aside.
• To the remaining chorizo, add the olive oil, red bell pepper, and jalapeño, and cook for 2 minutes, until softened. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the McCormick® Ground Cumin, McCormick® Ground Cinnamon, McCormick® Smoked Paprika, McCormick® Onion Powder, and flour. Cook for 2 minutes, until the chorizo is cooked through.
• Increase the heat to medium-high, add the heavy cream, and cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cream begins to simmer. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper Jack cheeses, 1 cup at a time, until the sauce is smooth. Stir in the salt, then cook for 2 minutes more until the sauce has thickened.
• Add in cooked pasta and stir to coat. Transfer to a 9x13-inch (22 x 33 cm) baking dish and spread evenly.
• Make the panko crust: Add the panko bread crumbs and olive oil to the bowl with the reserved chorizo and mix well.
• Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top of the pasta, then evenly sprinkle the panko chorizo mixture on top.
• Transfer to the oven and bake for 10–20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
• Scoop the mac ‘n’ cheese into bowls and garnish with sliced jalapeño.
• Enjoy!