Super Bowl Buffalo Chicken Chili Mac

Last Year I was watching the Rachel Ray show and she made this dish. I decided to try it, and it was a winner. My husband wanted it all the time, and reminded me to make it for the Super Bowl again. It's sooo good and is now a Super Bowl tradition.

Ingredients: 

2 table spoons olive oil

1-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into small chunks

1 large carrot peeled and finely chopped

1 large onion chopped

3 ribs of celery, finely chopped

5 large garlic cloves finely chopped or grated

1 T. paprika or smoked paprika if you can find it. 

1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 Cups of chicken stock

1/4-1/2 cup hot sauce, depending on how hot you like it. (I use a brand called Franks red hot wings sauce) 

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 lb. whole wheat elbow macaroni

1/2 C. pepper jack cheese (I can never find it grated or in a block, so I go to the deli and have them cut me about 6-8 slices.)

1/2 C. crumbled blue cheese

2 scallions, (root ends removed) thinly sliced

Preparation:

Tip: you can cook the chicken first, then cut it into chunks. This will make it easier to cut. 

Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the chicken bits and brown them 5-6 minutes. Add the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, paprika, bay leaf and some salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Cook the veggies stirring frequently until tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken stock and scrape up andy brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the hot sauce (a little bit at a time, then taste it and add more if you want to. This can get hot) add the crushed tomatoes and bring up to a bubble. Simmer this mixture for 8-10 minutes to let the flavors come together and thicken slightly. 

While the mixture is simmering, cook your pasta until al dente according to package directions. Once cooked, drain the pasta and toss it into the mixture, then transfer everything to a casserole dish. Sprinkle the cheeses evenly over the top and place it under the broiler until the cheeses have melted and the top is golden brown, 2-3 minutes.  Sprinkle the chopped scallions over the top and watch this dish disappear in no time.