Mary Berry Chicken Pasta Bake

Why you’ll like it

There are several compelling reasons to try the Mary Berry Chicken Pasta Bake recipe.

• Comfort food. It’s a comforting and flavoursome combination of ingredients that will please both adults and children alike. The tender chicken strips, perfectly cooked pasta, and creamy cheese sauce create a harmonious blend of textures and flavours that will leave you craving more.
• Simple. Mary Berry has a knack for creating dishes that are simple and easy to follow.
• Versatility. You can turn this into gluten-free, dairy-free, or even vegan in a second, and the result will still be awesome. If you don’t believe me, try swapping ingredients, and it never fails.
• Batch cooking. This is a perfect dish for meal planning and batch cooking. You can make a large batch and enjoy leftovers for quick and satisfying meals throughout the week. The texture and taste are not affected by reheating, and I believe that the next day it tastes even better.

Tips for the Perfect Mary Berry’s Chicken Pasta Bake

1. Use other types of pasta freely like fusilli or orecchiette.
2. To heat quickly the milk use the microwave by setting it on high for 1-2 minutes.
3. For a spicier kick, you can add a pinch of chilli flakes or cayenne pepper to the chicken.
4. Customize the recipe by adding mushrooms, spinach, or bell peppers, to the pasta and sauce mixture.
5. Precook the pasta in advance to save time on weekdays. You can cook it 24 hours in advance and store it in the refrigerator.
6. You can prepare the dish and refrigerate it without baking. Then to bake set the oven at 200°C/390°F for 30 minutes and cook it slowly.
7. Allow the bake to rest for a few minutes after removing it from the oven to let the flavours meld together before serving.

What You Need

Chicken Pasta Bake Ingredients

• Butter, for greasing
• Penne (9oz/250g)
• Onion, chopped (1 onion)
• Boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips. (3 boneless chicken breasts)
• Paprika (1 tablespoon)
• Olive oil (2 tablespoons)
• Salt and ground pepper to taste

For the sauce

• Butter (1¾oz/50g)
• All-purpose flour (1¾oz/50g)
• Full-fat milk 2 cups, hot (see tip)
• Dijon mustard (1 teaspoon)
• Parmesan cheese, grated (3½oz/100g)
• Tomatoes, deseeded and diced (2 large tomatoes)

How to Make Mary Berry Chicken Pasta Bake?

1. Preheat your oven to 220°C /430°F.
2. Grease a shallow ovenproof dish of around 11 x 7 x 1.5 inches (28 x 18 x 4 cm) with butter.

To cook the penne

(Note: While the pasta is cooking you can start preparing and frying the chicken)

1. Cook the penne pasta together with the onion in a pot of boiling salted water, following the instructions on the packet.
2. Drain the pasta cooked al dente and the onion.

For the chicken

1. Place the chicken strips in a resealable freezer bag along with the paprika, salt, and pepper. Seal the bag and shake it well to coat the chicken with the seasoning.
2. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan.
3. Fry the chicken over high heat for approximately 2 minutes until it turns golden brown and is cooked through. You may need to do this in batches.
4. Transfer the fried chicken to a plate using a slotted spoon and set it aside.

For the sauce

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Gently add the flour whisking for a minute.
2. Pour in the hot milk while whisking vigorously over high heat until the sauce becomes smooth and thickened.
3. Allow the sauce to simmer for 4 minutes.
4. Stir in the mustard, and half of the cheese, and season with salt and pepper to taste. This mixture is the sauce.

To assemble and bake

1. Combine the cooked pasta and onion with the sauce in the saucepan, stirring them together.
2. Spoon half of this mixture into the prepared dish.
3. Arrange the chicken strips over the top of the pasta mixture
4. Spoon the remaining pasta and sauce over the chicken.
5. Sprinkle the tomatoes over the dish.
6. Finish by sprinkling the remaining cheese on top.
7. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until the dish is thoroughly heated and the top turns golden brown.

Storing the Chicken Pasta Bake

This chicken pasta bake is a fantastic option for meal prep, as its flavours often meld and deepen overnight. Here’s how to store it properly:

In the Fridge:

• Cool Completely: Allow the bake to cool to room temperature after it comes out of the oven. To speed this up, you can place the dish on a wire rack.

• Store Covered: Once cool, cover the baking dish tightly with foil, plastic wrap, or a reusable lid. Alternatively, you can portion the leftovers into airtight containers for easy grab-and-lunches.

• Refrigerate: Properly stored, the chicken pasta bake will last for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

In the Freezer:
This dish freezes exceptionally well.

• Portion for Ease: For best results, divide the cooled bake into individual or family-sized portions in freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. This allows you to defrost only what you need.

• Wrap Tightly: If freezing the whole dish, wrap the entire cooled baking dish first in a layer of cling film, then a layer of foil to prevent freezer burn.

• Freeze: It can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Reheating:

• From Fridge: Reheat individual portions in the microwave until piping hot. To reheat the whole dish, cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through. You can remove the foil for the last 5 minutes to re-crisp the top.

• From Frozen: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating following the instructions above. You can bake it from frozen, but you will need to increase the baking time significantly (by 50-70%) and keep it covered for most of that time.

Serving the Chicken Pasta Bake

This chicken pasta bake can be served as a main dish or otherwise pair it alongside:

• a fresh salad or steamed vegetables.
• with crusty bread or garlic bread 

Our family loves to add some extra grated cheese on top of the dish during the last few minutes of baking especially if the kids are eating. I leave you free to experiment with different types of cheese, like cheddar, mozzarella, or Gruyère, to create a unique taste.

Alternatively, when no picky eaters are around, to add taste without extra calories we just add fresh parsley or basil, over the baked dish to add a burst of freshness and colour.

More Pasta Bake Recipes

• Mary Berry Tuna Pasta Bake with corn, peas, and cheese.
• Jamie Oliver Chicken & Mushroom Lasagne
• Baked Macaroni Pasta with Tomato Sauce
• Maltese Baked Rice (Ross il-Forn)

   

More Mary Berry Chicken Recipes

• Mary Berry Chicken Tartiflette
• Mary Berry Tuscan Chicken
• Mary Berry Chicken Casserole
• Mary Berry Chicken Curry
• Mary Berry’s Coronation Chicken

Health Info