Cooking on the road can be challenging, but I always love a good challenge. It's amazing how creative you can get with limited resources and ingredients. In today’s video, we're in El Paso, Texas, and we found a local city park where we could set up and cook up something delicious. For this dish, we decided to kick up our classic mac and cheese recipe by adding some juicy chicken and a new seasoning from Trader Joe's that our friend gave us. This seasoning is a combination of all the delicious flavors used on grilled corn in Mexico, and it added the perfect touch of spice to our dish.

One of the things I love most about cooking on the road is the opportunity to connect with locals and learn about new ingredients and cooking techniques. In this case, we were lucky enough to reconnect with an old friend who gave us the seasoning, and we even had the chance to chat with some locals in the park while we were cooking.

What is Elote?

Elote is a delicious Mexican street food favorite that has captured the hearts and taste buds of food enthusiasts around the world. It starts with a juicy, grilled or roasted ear of corn on the cob, which is then slathered with creamy mayonnaise or sour cream, crumbly Cotija cheese, and a dash of chili powder or hot sauce. To add an extra layer of flavor and texture, it's often rolled in a sprinkling of finely chopped cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Elote is the embodiment of savory, spicy, and creamy all in one irresistible bite, making it a beloved side dish or snack that perfectly complements the rich, cheesy goodness of dishes like mac and cheese. Its combination of savory, spicy, and creamy flavors elevates any meal, making it a popular choice for foodies seeking a delightful fusion of Mexican-inspired tastes.

Easy Elote Chicken Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 lb elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken (approx. 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
2 tbsp Trader Joe's Elote Seasoning (or any other Mexican seasoning blend)
Chopped green onions (1-2) and jalapeños (1-2)

Instructions:

Drizzle olive oil on a cast iron pan and sauté the chicken thighs until the internal temperature is 165 degrees or higher.
Sprinkle the chicken generously with Elote Seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
In a large pot. cook the macaroni according to package instructions, then drain.
On low heat, add butter into the macaroni pot.
Slowly pour in the cream, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and thickened.
Add the salt, black pepper, and shredded cheddar cheese, and stir until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth.
Pour the Mac and cheese mixture into the cast iron pan, covering the chicken. Stir to combine.
Add chopped jalapeño and green onions to garnish.
Serve hot and enjoy your Elote Chicken Mac and Cheese!

We made sure to cook up a little extra so that we could have some leftovers for the next day. It's always good to have a backup plan when you're on the road, and having some delicious food in the fridge is never a bad thing.

Overall, this was another amazing travel and food adventure, and I'm so glad we could share it with you all. If you liked this content, don't forget to give the video a thumbs up and subscribe to our channel for more exciting travel and food adventures. Keep on eating and enjoying life, everyone!