Mary Berry’s chicken pasta bake is a delicious and comforting dish that’s perfect for feeding the whole family. It’s quick and easy to make, and is sure to become a firm favourite
Wondering what to rustle up for tonight’s dinner and bored of your usual midweek meals?
Mary Berry has the ideal answer – a delectable chicken pasta bake that’s incredibly simple to prepare. The meal, packed with melted cheese, beautifully seasoned chicken and a rich creamy sauce featuring onions and tomatoes, is guaranteed to please everyone.
Mary Berry herself champions the recipe on the BBC website, declaring it: “A wonderfully comforting chicken pasta bake, this can be made ahead and will go down really well with the family.”
Requiring just minutes of prep time and a quick 20-minutes in the oven, it’s the perfect dish for any evening of the week. Whether catering for little ones, teens or adults, this classic comfort food supper is certain to satisfy everyone.
Mary Berry’s delicious chicken pasta bake
Ingredients
- 250g of penne pasta
- 100g of parmesan cheese
- 50g plain flour
- 50g of butter (plus extra for greasing)
- 750ml of hot milk
- Three skinless boneless chicken breasts
- Two large tomatoes
- One onion
- One tablespoon of Dijon mustard
- One tablespoon of paprika
- Two tablespoons of olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Kitchen kit you’ll need
- A shallow ovenproof dish
- Pot
- Large frying pan
- Sandwich bag
- Slotted spoon
Method
Begin by finely dicing the onion, then add it to boiling salted water along with the penne pasta. Follow the guidelines on the pasta packaging, then drain, rinse with cold water and put aside temporarily.
Then, cut the chicken breasts into thin strips and place them in a sandwich bag with paprika, salt, and pepper. Give it a thorough shake to make sure the chicken is completely covered.
Take your frying pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil and quickly fry the chicken strips. On a high heat, cook for two minutes until they’re beautifully golden and properly cooked through.
Using a slotted spoon, remove them and set aside on a plate to rest. To create the pasta sauce, melt the butter in a frying pan, then add the flour and stir vigorously for about a minute on high heat.
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Slowly pour in the hot milk, stirring constantly until you have a smooth, thick sauce. Allow the sauce to bubble for four minutes, then mix in the mustard, half of the parmesan cheese and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Next, combine the pasta and onion with the sauce and give everything a thorough mix. Spoon this mixture into your oven dish, then scatter the remaining cheese and tomato pieces on top.
Place it in the oven for approximately 20 minutes until the pasta bake is piping hot and has a crispy golden brown topping, then take out from the oven and your delicious dish is ready to be served.