Chicken Pasta Bake

This Chicken Pasta Bake makes good use of leftover chicken. Alternatively, you can simply fry some slivered boneless chicken breasts. This dish is quickly assembled and makes a hearty meal. Pesto is a great addition to the sauce - it gives big flavor and intensity without having to do lots of work.

The quantities of this recipe are generous. It makes an inexpensive dish for feeding a crowd - either informal entertaining or a large family. Alternatively, you can make it in two baking dishes and freeze one. I tend to freeze leftovers in small plastic containers and then haul them out for the school lunch boxes.

Use short pasta which will keep its shape for this Chicken Pasta Bake (spaghetti and linguine just don't work here!). Good choices are conchigilie (shells), farfalle (butterflies), fusille (screw shape), orecchiette (little ears) and rotelle (wheels). These are robust enough to take chunky extras like chicken. Tubular pastas, such as penne (pens), rigatone and maccheroni are good choices - the white sauce will find its way into the hollow tubes.

The addition of capers is optional. However, the capers give a piquancy to the dish. You could substitute chopped pickled gherkins or olives.

Fry the mushrooms in a pot. This way, you can use the same pot to make the white sauce.

Ingredients:

Method:

1. Fry the mushrooms in a little butter until they are golden brown. Don't overcook them or else they will shrivel up and become watery. Keep on one side.
2. Lightly fry the chicken. Do this in 3 - 4 batches so that it browns. It needn't be cooked all the way through as it is going to get another cooking. Keep on one side.
3. Add the rest of the butter and allow it to melt. Add the flour and stir until you have a thick paste (a roux). Cook for a minute. Slowly add the milk, stirring all the time until you have a thick white sauce. Allow it to bubble, but avoid burning the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the pesto, pasta, chicken and mushrooms to the white sauce. Pour the mixture into a baking dish. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. Bake for about ½ hour until the top is golden brown and crunchy. Serve with a big green salad.