59 Jump to Recipe Print RecipeYou might’ve seen us making our version of the Applebee’s Honey Pepper Chicken & 4-Cheese Mac on our TikTok, Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. Or maybe you saw the post on our Pinterest.Regardless of how you found it, we’re just glad that you did! No long, drawn out story– we just hope you enjoy! Applebee’s Honey Pepper Chicken & 4-Cheese Mac Print Recipe Pin Recipe Prep Time 15 minutes minsCook Time 35 minutes minsTotal Time 50 minutes mins Course Main Course, Side Dish Ingredients 6 slices Thick-Cut BaconSeasoned Flour2 cups All-Purpose Flour3 tbsp Paprika1½ tbsp Kosher Salt1½ tbsp Dry Mustard1½ tbsp Garlic Powder1½ tbsp Onion Powder1 tbsp Seasoned Salt¾ tbsp Black Pepper½ tbsp Celery Seed½ tsp Dried Ginger½ tsp Dried Thyme½ tsp Dried Basil½ tsp Dried OreganoFried Chicken 1 lb Chicken Tenders trimmed of any excess fat2 cups ButtermilkHoney Pepper Sauce¾ cup Honey¼ cup Brown Sugar¼ cup Pineapple Juice3 tbsp Soy SauceJuice of 1 lemon4 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar1 tsp Black Pepper¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper or less to taste1 tsp cornstarch + 2 tsp water for slurry4 Cheese Mac & Cheese ¼ cup Butter 4 Tbsp3 cloves Garlic minced1 Anaheim Pepper diced3 tbsp All-Purpose Flour2 cups Heavy Cream½ cup Parmesan shredded ¾ cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded½ cup Romano Cheese shredded½ cup Asiago Cheese shredded¼ tsp dried basil2 tsp SaltBlack pepper to tasteFresh parsley for garnish1 Cavatappi pasta box dried Instructions Cook bacon in your preferred method, and set aside to cool.Seasoned FlourAdd all ingredients to a large resealable plastic bag and shake to combine.Honey Pepper SauceAdd all ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to LOW and simmer for 20 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Set aside to cool a bit.After 10 minutes, in a small bowl mix well cornstarch and water to make a slurry then stir into sauce. Fried Chicken Place chicken tenders in a large bowl and pour buttermilk into bowl. Turn chicken to coat each piece in buttermilk.Let marinate while you prepare other things.Add oil to large heavy bottomed pot and heat to 350℉.Shake excess buttermilk from chicken tender, then drop into the bag with the seasoned flour.Shake gently to coat in flour. Repeat with remaining chicken tenders.Add tenders, 2-3 at a time, to the hot oil and fry for several minutes per side, until dark golden brown and cooked through.Remove from the oil and place on a wire cooling rack (with paper towels laying underneath to catch the excess grease). Repeat with remaining chicken.4 Cheese Sauce & PastaWhile chicken is frying, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.Add pasta and cook until al dente (according to package directions).Drain pasta and drizzle with a bit of olive oil.While pasta water is coming up to a boil, add butter to a saucepan and melt over MED-LOW heat.Add garlic and diced pepper to the pan and saute for 2 minutes, until softened.Add in flour and whisk to combine. Mixture will resemble very wet sand.Pour in heavy cream while whisking, and whisk often for 5 minutes, or until thickened.Sauce should coat the back of a spoon.Add in cheeses, one at a time, and stir to melt.Season with pepper and basil and stir to combine.Toss cooked pasta with cheese sauce and add to serving bowl.Toss fried chicken tenders with some of the honey pepper sauce, and place several the mac and cheese.Sprinkle with crumbled bacon, minced fresh parsley, and an optional drizzle of the honey pepper sauce.Enjoy! Keyword Asiago, Cheese, Chicken, Pasta Please leave this field empty get consistent tips, guides, and recipes We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info. Please check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.