Buffalo Chicken Chili Mac for Olympians - Rachael Ray

I haven't made this yet, but I saw it on the Rachael Ray show yesterday and it sounds delicious! She concocted this recipe for the US Olympics team.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 1⁄2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 1  large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 3  celery ribs, finely chopped
• 5  large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1  tablespoon  smoked paprika
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2  cups  chicken stock
• 1⁄4-1⁄2 cup  hot sauce, depending on how hot you like it
• 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1  lb  whole wheat elbow macaroni
• 1⁄2 cup monterey jack pepper cheese
• 2  scallions, root ends removed and thinly sliced

Directions

1. To make cutting the chicken easier, place it into the freezer for about 15 minutes until it firms up slightly but isn’t frozen through. This will let you cut it up quickly into small pieces.
2. Preheat broiler and place a large pot of salted water over high heat to bring up to a boil for the whole wheat elbow macaroni.
3. Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the chicken bits and brown them, about 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 any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the hot sauce and crushed tomatoes, and bring up to a bubble. Simmer the chili for 8-10 minutes to let the flavors come together and thicken it slightly.
4. While the chili is simmering, toss the pasta into the boiling salted water and cook until al dente according to package directions. Once cooked, drain the pasta and toss it into the chili, 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.
5. Sprinkle the chopped scallions over the top and watch this one disappear in no time.