Mexican Mac and Cheese

This recipe has chicken and bacon, which can be left out for a vegetarian.  This recipe can serve up to 8 people.  The pic above is the vegetarian version which contains spinach.  

Ingredients:
1 lb pasta (such as cavatappi/cellentani, Lumaconi)
4 strips of bacon
2 cups panko bread crumbs
4 chicken thighs
½ tsp Adobo
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp BBQ sauce (I used my homemade bourbon bbq sauce)
2 tbsp oil
1 cup poblano pepper, chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup vadalia onion, chopped
2 green onions, sliced 
1 clove garlic, minced 
½ tsp cumin
2 tsp chili lime spice blend
1 tsp Cajun or creole seasoning
3 tbsp butter
1/3 cup flour
3 cups milk
1/3 cup, plus 2 tbsp chopped cilantro   
2 ½ cups finely shredded Mexican cheese blend
Salt and pepper
 
Directions:
In a large pot, cook the pasta in salted water until 2/3 of the way cooked.  While the pasta is cooking, cook the bacon in a pan until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan and set aside until cooled.  Add the bread crumbs and toast them on low in the bacon grease.   Once bacon is  cooled, break it up in to little pieces. Remove the bread crumbs and toss them with the bacon . Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add water, adobo , bbq sauce and chicken to pan, cook on medium heat until chicken is cooked thru, turning once, shred and set aside.   Drain the pasta and put it in a baking dish.    Using the same pot, add, oil, peppers, onions and garlic. Cook until just soft and add the remaining spices.  Stir and cook for 2 min.  Add butter and flour to make a roux, slowly whisk in 3 cups of milk and simmer gently until it’s slightly thickened.  Add salt and black pepper to taste.  At this point, stir in 1/3 cup cilantro and pour the thickened milk over the pasta.  Mix in the shredded chicken and 2 cups of the cheese.   Top with the remaining half cup of cheese, 2 tbsp cilantro and breadcrumbs.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 min.