Prepare the Chicken:

1. Marinate the Chicken: Place the chicken strips in a bowl with buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (or up to 4 hours for extra tenderness).
2. Mix the Coating: In a shallow dish, combine flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Coat the Chicken: Remove chicken from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off. Dredge in the flour mixture until fully coated.
4. Fry the Chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the chicken strips until golden brown and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Make the Honey Pepper Glaze:

5. Combine Ingredients: In a small saucepan, whisk together honey, soy sauce, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and apple cider vinegar.
6. Simmer the Glaze: Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened (about 5 minutes).
7. Coat the Chicken: Toss the fried chicken strips in the honey pepper glaze until evenly coated.

Prepare the Creamy Macaroni Cheese:

8. Cook the Pasta: Boil the elbow macaroni according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
9. Make the Cheese Sauce: In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook until the mixture thickens.
10. Add the Cheese: Stir in cheddar, Parmesan, mustard powder, salt, and pepper until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth.
11. Combine: Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce, stirring to coat evenly.

Assemble and Serve:

12. Plate the Dish: Serve the glazed chicken strips alongside a generous portion of creamy macaroni cheese. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.