Cheesy Chicken and Pasta Bake

It’s a good job we all love Italian food, because pasta is showing up on the weekly menu plan a lot right now.

Our new favourite pasta dish is this recipe for Cheesy Chicken Pasta (serves 3-4).

Ingredients:

8 oz pasta (I used fusilli)

6 oz cheese (I used extra mature Cheddar)

4 tablespoons butter

2 chicken breasts diced in to 1″ squares

1 oz (1/4 cup) of flour

2 oz (1/2 cup) of diced onion (this was equivalent of half a medium-sized onion)

6 fl oz (3/4 cup) of chicken stock

2 oz (1/2 cup) of sour cream

4 oz mushrooms Optional (I didn’t use them)

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C (that’s 160C Fan or 350F).

Bring a large pan of water to boil and cook pasta according to instructions. Drain.

Pour pasta into the bottom of a casserole dish. Sprinkle half of the grated cheese over the pasta.

In a frying pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Toss the chicken chunks with the flour to coat them (save the flour), then cook them in the butter until the outsides are nicely browned. Layer the chicken chunks on top of the pasta and cheese.

In the frying pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and stir in the diced onion (and mushrooms, if you’re using them), cooking for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the flour from the chicken on top and stir to combine. Let cook for about 2 more minutes, then add the chicken stock. Bring to a low boil so that it thickens.

Stir in the sour cream and remaining grated cheese. Stir until smooth, then pour over the top of the casserole.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Serve with garlic bread and a mixed salad.