Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake
A rich and comforting pasta bake made with tender chicken, a simple tomato sauce, and plenty of melted cheese. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner and just as tasty reheated the next day.
Servings: 4
Calories:
Ingredients
- 300 g pasta penne, fusilli, or rigatoni
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 500 g boneless chicken thighs diced (or chicken breasts)
- 800 g tinned chopped tomatoes 2 x 400g tins
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 125 g cheddar cheese grated
- 75 g mozzarella cheese grated
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley to serve
Instructions
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until just al dente, it will finish cooking in the oven.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
- Add the diced chicken and cook for a few minutes until sealed and lightly golden. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, caster sugar, and dried mixed herbs. Season well with salt and pepper, then let the sauce simmer gently while the pasta finishes cooking.
- Drain the pasta and stir it into the chicken and tomato sauce until evenly coated. Mix through a handful of the grated cheese so it melts into the sauce.
- Transfer everything to a lightly greased oven dish and scatter the remaining cheese over the top. Bake at 200°C (180°C fan) / 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden.
- Optionally sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
