Creamy Tomato Pasta Bake with Chicken (One Pot)
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 tbsp / 1/2 cup plain flour
- 2 cups milk (500ml)
- 2 cups tomato passata (500ml)
- 1 cup water (or chicken or vegetable broth) (250ml)
- 2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- 3 cups dried ziti / penne pasta (uncooked)
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Pepper
Garnish (optional)
- Fresh basil leaves
- Freshly grated parmesan
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
- 2
Melt butter in a deep fry pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes until translucent. Add the flour and stir to combine, then cook for 2 minutes.
- 3
Add the milk and whisk for 1 minute, in small circles around the fry pan, until it starts to thicken. Then add the tomato passata, water, salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium high and cook for around 5 minutes or until thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Whisk occasionally for the first 3 minutes, then whisk constantly for the last 2 minutes.
- 4
Do a taste test and add 1 to 2 tsp of sugar if it is a bit sour (depends on quality of passata you use).
- 5
Add the ziti/penne, chicken and cheddar cheese and mix through. Leave it to cook for around 1 minute on the stove, then take it off the stove.
- 6
Scatter with mozzarella cheese. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the lid/foil and bake for a further 5 minutes. Rest for 5 minutes before serving, garnished with fresh basil leaves and grated parmesan, if desired.
