Healthy chicken pasta bake
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook:
- Easy
- Serves 4
Ingredients
- 300g wholemeal penne
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 peppers (we used 1 yellow and 1 orange), deseeded and chopped
- 1 large courgette (160g), coarsely grated
- 3 large garlic cloves, finely grated
- 500g carton passata
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1½ tsp vegetable bouillon powder
- 1 tsp chilli powder (optional)
- 25g Kalamata olives (about 8), sliced
- 400g chicken breasts (2 large), cut into pieces
- large handful of basil, chopped, plus extra to serve
- 100g ricotta
- 20g finely grated mature cheddar
Method
- STEP 1
Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
- STEP 2
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and fry the peppers for 8 mins, stirring until they start to soften. Add the courgette and garlic, stir for a few minutes more, then tip in the passata and stir in the smoked paprika, bouillon, chilli, if using, and olives. Simmer for 3-4 mins.
- STEP 3
Drain the pasta, reserving the pasta water. Tip the pasta into the passata mixture along with the chicken, half a mug of the pasta water and the basil. Stir together well, then tip into baking dish.
- STEP 4
Mix the ricotta in a bowl with 5 tbsp of the pasta water and spread across the top of the pasta. Sprinkle over the cheddar, then bake for 35 mins. Scatter with a few extra basil leaves, if you like, and serve.
