I’m really excited about this recipe. Excited because it’s so easy to make. Excited because it tastes great. Excited because it feeds a crowd. Excited because you can make it ahead of time.
I know pasta bakes are pretty daggy but they serve their purpose as an easy family meal. This recipe uses a store-bought barbecue chook, some tinned tomatoes and tomato soup and whatever veggies and cheese you may happen to have in your fridge. I like spiral pasta for pasta bakes but penne or shell pasta would work well here too.
Serve it up with a fresh green salad and glass of red. Perfect comfort food for these cold and wet days.
italian chicken pasta bake
This is a terrific midweek meal as it’s really easy to make and I love having leftovers for lunch the next day.
Lo’s Tips
Add some finely chopped zucchini, red capsicum or mushrooms if you have them. Similarly, feel free to jazz it up even more by adding some bacon when you’re browning the onions. And throw in some chilli too if you’re a lover of hot things.
400 grams of spiral pasta (or penne pasta)
1 x store bought cooked BBQ chook, chicken removed and bones discarded
1 x brown onion, finely chopped
2 x garlic cloves, crushed
2 x carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 x sticks of celery, finely chopped
1 x 420 gram tin of diced tomatoes
1 x 420 gram tin of Condensed tomato soup
1/2 of an empty tomato tin full of water
1 x dessertspoon of tomato paste
A good splash of Worchestershire sauce
A small teaspoon of sugar (optional)
A sprinkling of dried oregano
A handful of finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
A dash of olive oil
A good cup of grated cheese (use whatever you have in the fridge – I use a combination of tasty, mozerella and parmesan)
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ and dish out a large rectangular casserole dish.
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water (as always, whatever you do – don’t over cook the pasta!)
- In a non stick frypan, brown the onions and garlic in a splash of olive oil.
- After a couple of minutes, throw in the carrots and celery (and any other veggies if you choose to use them) and cook until nicely softened.
- Simply add the tinned tomatoes, tomato soup, water, tomato paste, Worchestershire sauce, sugar, oregano, parsley and season really well with salt and pepper. Let it simmer over a low heat.
- Add the shredded chicken to warm through.
- Mix the cooked pasta with the tomato mixture and spoon it into the casserole dish.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top.
- Cook in the oven until the cheese is nicely browned.
Serve with a fresh salad.
lo's kitchen 