Description
This delicious Chicken Pasta Bake features tender strips of chicken breast combined with a rich tomato and mascarpone sauce, tossed with penne pasta and topped with a golden, bubbly mix of mature cheddar and mozzarella cheese. It’s a comforting, easy-to-make oven-baked dish perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce and Pasta
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes
- 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 6 tbsp mascarpone
- 300g penne
Chicken and Toppings
- 4 skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
- 70g mature cheddar, grated
- 50g grated mozzarella
- ½ small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the tomato sauce: Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and fry gently for 10-12 minutes until soft. Add the crushed garlic and chilli flakes and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and caster sugar, season with salt and pepper to taste, then simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir through the mascarpone until smooth.
- Cook the chicken: Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Season the sliced chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then fry them for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through and lightly browned. Remove from heat.
- Cook the pasta: Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan)/gas mark 7. Cook the penne pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain well and toss with the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Assemble the bake: Transfer the pasta to a medium ovenproof dish. Add the cooked chicken strips and pour the mascarpone tomato sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle the grated mature cheddar and mozzarella evenly over the dish, then scatter the finely chopped parsley on top.
- Bake the pasta: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese topping is golden brown, bubbling, and the bake is heated through. Remove from the oven and serve hot.
Notes
- For a spicier kick, increase the chilli flakes according to taste.
- You can substitute penne with other pasta shapes like rigatoni or fusilli.
- Leftover pasta bake can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
- Adding some steamed or roasted vegetables like spinach or bell peppers can increase the nutritional value.
- If mascarpone is unavailable, cream cheese or crème fraîche can be used as a substitute.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: chicken pasta bake, baked pasta, Italian chicken recipe, creamy tomato pasta, oven-baked pasta dish, easy family dinner
