ChickenChorizoFamily mealsPasta bake

Chicken and Chorizo Pasta Bake

Name: Chicken and Chorizo Pasta Bake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 350 g dried rigatoni, or any short pasta shape; 1 tbsp olive oil; 650 g skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces; 100 g cooking chorizo (from a ring) sliced; 1 large leek trimmed and sliced; 2 garlic cloves crushed; ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional); 1 tsp smoked paprika; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 1 x 400g tin four-bean mix drained; 60 g cream cheese or 0% fat greek yoghurt; 125 g kale tough stems removed, roughly chopped; 150 g grated mozzarella cheese; salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pasta bakes are a blessing for busy families. I make at least one of these a week and this one is the most popular one I’ve made with the kids. Just fifteen minutes of prep and you can spend the rest of your time just chilling while it bakes in the oven. The kitchen will smell unbelievable when you open the oven door of the crispy, bubbling, melting cheese.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 45 min
Serves: 4
Level: Easy

Start cook mode

Gather

Ingredients

Cooking for

No household default set

Tap an ingredient to tick it off

Make

Method

You will need

Large panFrying panGrater

1.
Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan/gas mark 7).
2.
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted, boiling water according to the packet instructions, until just al dente. Drain, reserving about a ladle of the cooking water.
3.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat, add the chicken and cook for 4–5 minutes until golden brown on all sides (it doesn’t need to be cooked through at this point). Remove from the pan and place on a plate. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
4.
Place the same pan over a medium-high heat, add the chorizo and leek (no need to add extra oil as the chorizo will release its oil as it cooks) and cook for 7–8 minutes, or until the leeks are starting to caramelise and soften. Add the garlic, chilli flakes (if using), smoked paprika and tomato purée and cook for another minute or two until aromatic.
5.
Add the chopped tomatoes, then fill the empty tomato tin about half full with water, swirl it in the tin and tip the water into the pan, along with the bean mix. Stir well to combine, turn the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Tip in the chicken (and resting juices), drained pasta, cream cheese and kale, stir well to combine (add some of the reserved pasta water if it’s looking dry), season with salt and pepper then tip into a deep baking or roasting dish (like a lasagne dish).
6.
Scatter the grated mozzarella over the top and bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes, covering the dish with foil about halfway through cooking, once the cheese is nicely browned and bubbling. Serve with a simple green salad on the side.