How To Make Chicken & Mushroom Pasta Bake Recipe | Chicken Pasta Bake | With My Little Kitchen

heavy cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: milk + cornstarch

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free and adds a cheesy flavor.

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: cheddar cheese

Part-skim mozzarella has less fat, while cheddar is often cheaper.

chicken breast

🥗Healthier: chicken thighs

💰Cheaper: canned chicken

Chicken thighs are more flavorful and often less expensive than breasts.

Heat a good glug of oil in a pan.

Add the finely diced onion and carrots to the pan and sweat on medium heat for about 5 minutes without browning them.

After 5 minutes, add the cubed chicken to the pan and cook until fully cooked, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.

Once the chicken is nearly cooked, add the frozen sweet corn, sliced mushrooms, and dissolved chicken stock to the pan. Increase the heat and cook until the stock reduces and thickens, about 8 minutes.

After the stock has thickened, remove the pan from heat and set aside.

In a separate pot, bring two kettles of boiling water to a boil. Add a teaspoon of salt to the water.

Add the penne pasta to the boiling water and cook for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain it using a large strainer and add it directly to the chicken mixture, including some pasta water to loosen the sauce.

Stir the pasta and chicken mixture well to prevent clumping.

In a new pan, melt the unsalted butter over low heat for the bechamel sauce.

Once melted, add the plain flour and cook until it expands and becomes nutty in aroma.

Switch to a whisk and gradually add the milk, whisking to prevent clumps, and bring to heat until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Once thickened, add the mature cheddar cheese to the bechamel sauce and stir until melted.

Pour the creamy chicken and pasta mixture into a baking dish and top with additional grated mature cheddar cheese.

Preheat the oven to 185°C (365°F).

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Serve with garlic bread and salad.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens