Chicken, Cheese and Penne Pasta Baking Recipe

Lots of fatty cheese and a simple cassette brings this chicken and pasta together into a delicious and satisfying family meal. Artichokes and mushrooms add nutrition and texture to the dish.

You can tailor the cocktail ingredients to what you have and what suits your tastes. A combination of mozzarella and cheddar cheeses – or a pizza mix – is a good alternative to cozzarella. Although the flavourless taste of mushrooms is not a good substitute, you can replace them with another vegetable; add about 1 cup of sliced celery or onion to the pan and cook it with the chicken. Suitable substitutes for artichokes are steamed sliced asparagus, broccoli, peas, or mixed Vegetable Recipes. For additional color, consider a few tablespoons of chopped pimiento or add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup diced red bell peppers per chicken.

A castor makes a festive dinner of Caesar salad or spring Vegetable Recipes. Toast garlic bread with the meal and enjoy!

What you need

. 8 ounces penne pasta 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1-1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts (boneless, cut into small cubes) 6 to 8 ounces mushrooms (sliced) 1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning (or a seasoned salt blend ) 2 tablespoons butter 2 cloves garlic (minced) 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup half-and-half (or whole milk) 1 cup chicken broth 2 cups mozzarella cheese (shredded, 1 cup Parmesan cheese (chopped, divided, about 3/4 cup grated) Salt to taste Black pepper to taste 1 package artichoke (ten or halves, frozen or 1 can/15 ounces, dried) Optional: Peppers

How to make

Preheat oven to 350 F Grease a 2- to 2 1/2-quart baking dish. Pack penne pasta toward the cooked in salted water . Empty the container and drain. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chicken, mushrooms and creole seasoning. Cook until chicken is thoroughly cooked and mushrooms are lightly browned, stirring frequently. Remove the chicken and mushroom mixture to a bowl and set aside. Melt butter in the same bottle and add chopped garlic. Cook, stirring for about 1 minute. Stir in flour or butter mixture until smooth and fluffy. Continue to roux flour and butter for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the milk and chicken broth and continue cooking until thick, stirring constantly. To the sauce, add 1 1/2 cups of the Mozzarella cheese and about half of the Parmesan cheese; cook until cheese is melted, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken, mushroom and artichokes. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Combine sauce and pasta; transfer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake lightly with paprika, if using. Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned and flaky.

Tips

Do this in advance: prepare the casserole according to the instructions, but do not bake it. Cover the saucepan with foil and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours. On the day of baking, remove the canister from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°C and bake the baked cookies for about 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake about 10 minutes longer or until hot and flaky.