Chicken Pasta Bake
When feeding many, a pasta bake is tasty and fuss-free. I love that you can prepare it all in one big dish and pop it in the oven to bake away at dinnertime. Try adding peppers, courgettes, broccoli, or whatever vegetables your family loves. This recipe
SERVES
5
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
15
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
40
MINUTES
Ingredients
250g penne pasta
4 chicken breasts cut into small cubes
20g butter
3 tbsp olive oil
onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
¼ tsp chilli flakes
400g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp flour
250ml chicken stock
4 tbsp mascarpone cheese OR fresh cream
Handful of freshly chopped basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
For the crunchy topping: 100g breadcrumbs
80g cheddar grated
40g melted butter
Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Cook the penne pasta following packet instructions.
Rinse the cooked pasta with fresh water, drain it, and toss it with one tablespoon of olive oil. Sset aside.
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil and 10g butter in a frying pan.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and fry for 8-10 minutes until golden, fully cooked and set aside.
Add 10g butter and one tablespoon olive oil to the same frying pan and on medium heat fry the onions gently for 2-3 minutes until softened.
Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for one minute on a low to medium heat.
Tip in the tomatoes and season to taste. Add the flour and mix through.
Pour in the stock and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir through the mascarpone (or fresh cream—which ever you are using)
Add the chopped basil. Return the cooked chicken and pasta to the tomato sauce and combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Make the crunchy top by combining the breadcrumbs, cheese, melted butter and parsley in a bowl.
Spoon the tomatoes, chicken and pasta mixture into an oven-proof dish. Top with the cheesy breadcrumb mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes or pop under a hot grill for a few minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
