It doesn't get much more comforting than a creamy pasta bake and this Creamy Tomato and Chicken Pasta Bake is an easy weeknight meal that will feed a hungry family.
Preheat your oven to 190°C/170°C(fan)/375°F/Gas 5.
Put 280 g Rigatoni pasta in a pan of boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon Olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat and then add 300 g Chicken breast and cook for 5 minutes. Add 4 Shallots and 3 Garlic clove and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Add 400 g Plum tomatoes, 100 ml Vegetable stock, 2 tablespoon Tomato puree and 2 tablespoon Dried oregano to the chicken. Mash the tomatoes a little and simmer for 2 minutes.
Drain the pasta and add 1 Courgette (zucchini) and 3 tablespoon Light cream cheese and stir well.
Add the pasta mixture to the chicken mixture along with 8 Cherry tomatoes and stir well.
Transfer to an oven safe baking dish and sprinkle with 40 g Mature cheddar, 30 g Mozzarella and 1 handful Fresh basilut into the oven for 15 minutes.
Once cooked, serve with more chopped basil sprinkled on top (optional).
Notes
We used cheddar and mozzarella on top, but you could swap it for Parmesan and goats cheese instead.
Keep this vegetarian by swapping out the chicken and using chunks of roasted aubergine or tofu instead. You could even for a seafood version and use king prawns or tuna instead.
If you want the sauce a little bit sweeter, a glug of good quality balsamic vinegar would go a long way. Or maybe turn up the heat by adding some chilli flakes.
You don't have to cook this in the oven. You could heat everything on the hob for a few minutes once it is mixed together and then put it under the grill to melt the cheese and make it go crispy.
Feel free to use different types of pasta if you already have some in your cupboard.
This is a good opportunity to sneak in lots of extra vegetables. Spinach, a chopped pepper and mushrooms work well.
You could use leftover shredded chicken in this too.
Always cook your pasta for a couple of minutes less than usual with making a pasta bake, as it will cook more in the oven.
Make this gluten free by using gluten free pasta.
For a more intense tomato flavour, use chopped up sun-dried tomatoes and a splash of the oil from the jar too.