This pasta bake with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes is a comforting, flavorful dish perfect for weeknights. Tender chunks of chicken are sautéed and combined with cooked pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, and a creamy cheese sauce. Garlic, herbs, and a touch of chili flakes add depth and warmth.
Everything is mixed together, then topped with cheese and baked until golden and bubbling. The sun-dried tomatoes add a tangy richness that balances the creamy sauce beautifully. Serve with a fresh green salad or garlic bread for a complete meal. It’s an easy, crowd-pleasing recipe that’s sure to become a family favorite.
Pasta bake with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes
This pasta bake with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes is a comforting, flavorful dish perfect for weeknights. Tender chunks of chicken are sautéed and combined with cooked pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, and a creamy cheese sauce. Garlic, herbs, and a touch of chili flakes add depth and warmth.
Ingredients
- 500 grams rigatoni
- 1 kg chicken thighs no bone or skin
- 80 grams chorizo sausage
- 3 tsp salt
- ½ tsp chili
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 110 grams sun-dried tomatoes sliced
- 3 Tbsp oil from the tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp of drained capers
- 70 grams tomato paste
- 125 ml white wine
- 250 grams mascarpone
- 125 ml cream
- 60 ml pasta water
- 2 tsp basil pesto
- 200 grams cheddar grated
- 200 grams mozzarella
- 1 spring onion sliced
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water 2 minutes, less than the time indicated on the packet. Drain but keep about 1 cup pasta water. Rinse with tap water to stop the cooking process.
- Thaw the chicken completely and cut in bite-size pieces. Season with the salt, chili, paprika and pepper.
- In a large skillet, add the oil from the sundried tomatoes. Cook the chicken until it is nicely coloured on all sides. Add the chorizo. Sauté briefly and add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for about a minute and add the tomato paste. Cook a minute longer and pour in the wine. Let it boil for a couple of minutes until reduced and the alcohol has evaporated. Add the capers and remove from the heat.
- In a medium bowl, mix the mascarpone with the cream, 60 ml pasta water, cheddar and basil pesto.
- To assemble the dish, mix together the chicken, pasta, mascarpone mixture and spread in a ceramic oven-safe dish. Top with the grated mozzarella and scatter the spring onion.
- Bake dish for 30 minutes in 180˚ C fan oven until cheese has melted and food is bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
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