Excellent complete meal for making ahead and freezing.
It just screamsdry pasta bake!
Not in my world.
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Pasta bakes should be saucy and juicy, molten and oozy!
This one ticks all those boxes.
Proof by picture juicy / saucy:
Tasty add-ins sizzling seasoned chicken!
Love the smell when the chicken hits the pan.
Ingredients in chicken pasta bake
Youll be able to get everything from your local grocery store.
Nothing pricey on the list!
Seasoning Using a store bought Italian herb mix is a great shortcut here.
I always like to add an extra spice, garlic in this paste, for extra flavour oomph.
No shortcuts here I tried and just found it too bland.
However, feel free to use other short pastas like macaroni, penne, ziti, shells etc.
Its just pureed plain tomato!
Tomato paste for sauce thickening and extra tomato flavour.
Garlic and onion essential flavour base!
Oregano for earthy flavour.
Chilli flakes / red pepper flakes for a hum of warmth!
Simmered rapidly to reduce and cook out the alcohol and winey flavour, just leaving behind tasty flavour.
Chicken pasta bake add-ins & topping
Lots of add-in options, but heres what Ive gone with!
Bacon cooked first until crisp, chopped, and tossed through the pasta bake.
Then we use the bacon fat left in the pan to cooke the chicken.
Free flavour not to be wasted!Substitute with ham bits or chopped ham.
Baby spinach for more hidden greens as well as adding nice streaks of green into the pasta bake.
Cheese mozzarella for stretch and melting qualities, parmesan for flavour!
(Because mozzarella actually does not have much flavour).
Feel free to substitute the tomato and baby spinach with other add-ins of choice.
Then theres all those times when you want areally goodpasta bake so youll do it properly.
Today is one of those days!
Crisp bacon (no oil)
First, cook the bacon in a non-stick pan until golden and crisp.
So it cooks in its own fat!
The bacon will go crispy when it cools, then chop into pieces.
Making the pasta bake
Toss the chickenin the Italian herbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Dont worry whether its cooked through inside, it will finish cooking in the sauce and oven.
Sauce Next, cook off the tomato paste.
Simmer Then stir in the chicken dont forget to add all the juices pooled in the bowl!
I tried to speed things up but the sauce just lacked flavour.
But to be honest, I usually forget.
Mix well Give it all a good stir to mix it all together.
YouDIDuse a big pan, right??
If you didnt, this is the part where youll start crying or cursing been there, done that!
Baking pan Transfer to a 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13 pan and level the surface.
Cheese it!Top with mozzarella then parmesan cheese.
Bakefor just 25 minutes until the cheese is melted with some lovely golden spots.
Then toss together and assemble the pasta bake including topping with cheese.
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Cover well with cling wrap and refrigerate 3 days or freeze up to 3 months (thaw thoroughly).
Then bake covered for 20 minutes then uncovered for 20 minutes.
Complete meal veg, starch, protein!
This ones got it all!
Starch, protein and plenty of vegetables the tomato passata (yes its a vegetable!
), chunks of fresh tomato and a good amount of baby spinach too.
Always a bonus when it comes to choosing what to make for dinner tonight, right??
PPS Despite saying this is a complete meal, a side ofgarlic breadwould certainly take dinner to another level!
Such a beautiful part of Sydney!
(Its Bayview dog park in Sydneys northern beaches).
