Chicken pasta bake

Ingredients

Serves 4

  • 400g pasta, preferably rigatoni or penne
  • 300g chicken breast or thigh, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 40g butter
  • 30g plain flour
  • 400ml milk
  • 1 tsp mustard (optional)
  • 150g strong cheddar, grated
  • 330g can sweetcorn, drained
  • A large handful of fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
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Step by step

  1. Heat oven to 180C / fan 160C / gas 4.
  2. Boil a saucepan of water and add pasta, cooking it for 2 mins less than it says on the pack.
  3. In a bowl, season the chicken pieces with the paprika, salt and pepper. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken pieces until cooked through, about 6-10 mins.
  4. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan and fry the onion until soft, then stir in the plain flour.
  5. Keep stirring and cook for 1 min, then gradually stir in the milk to make a thick white sauce.
  6. Season with salt and pepper and, if you like, the teaspoon of mustard.
  7. Remove from the heat and stir in all but a handful of the grated cheddar.
  8. Drain the pasta and mix it with the white sauce, the chicken, the sweetcorn and the chopped parsley, then season.
  9. Transfer to a baking dish and top with the rest of the cheese. Bake for 15-20 mins until the cheese on top is golden and starting to brown.