Cozy and tasty, this chicken and mushroom pasta bake is hearty fare for any meal, and everyone in the family will love it.

chicken and mushroom pasta bake

• 400g Pasta (we used rigatoni)
• 500g Ritchies chicken thigh fillets trimmed and cut in thin strips
• 8 button mushrooms wiped and sliced
• 1 large onion peeled and finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 75g butter
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup tasty cheese
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

to serve

• 2 spring onions finely sliced (optional)

chicken and mushroom pasta bake method

Pre heat oven to 180^oC

Cook the pasta following the manufacturer instructions for al dente. Drain and reserve a little of the cooking water.

In a sauté pan or large frying pan on a medium heat, add the onion and the olive oil. Gently fry the onion until it softens and just starts to colour. Add the mushrooms, chicken and butter and cook stirring occasionally until the chicken is just cooked through. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for about a minute until it starts to smell fragrant. Turn the heat to low. Sprinkle the chicken mixture with flour and cook for a couple of minutes while stirring well. Slowly pour in both milk and stock,  stirring continually until thoroughly mixed. Turn the heat up to medium and stir until bubbly and thick.

In a large pan (maybe the pan you cooked the pasta in) stir the chicken and mushroom mixture into the cooked pasta. Fold in ½ cup of the cheese and check the seasoning. Transfer the chicken and pasta mixture to either 1 large oven proof dish or 6 individual large ramekins. Pile it high and top with the remaining ½ cup of cheese. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown on top. Serve piping hot, sprinkled with a few sliced spring onions maybe  with a fresh salad.

Serves 6. Preparation time 25 minutes Cooking time 20-25 minutes