Paprika Chicken Pasta Bake
Comforting and delicious...warmth and smokiness in the tomato sauce, combined with tender chunks of chicken.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 courgette cut into chunky pieces
- 2 chicken breasts cut into strips
- 1 large clove garlic thinly sliced
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- a pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes blitzed until smooth
- 200ml hot vegetable stock
- 80g pitted green olives
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 400g penne pasta
- 150ml pasta cooking water
- 100g cheese grated (see Notes)
- half of a small bunch of parsley finely chopped – to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and courgette and fry for 10 minutes.
- Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika and chilli flakes (if using) and fry for a further minute. Next, pour in the tomatoes, hot stock and olives. Add the sugar, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir to combine. Simmer uncovered for a further 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain, reserving about 150ml of the starchy cooking water. Add this water to the sauce, with the pasta, and toss. Tip into a baking dish. Top with the cheese and bake for 15 minutes.
- Garnish with the chopped parsley (if using) and serve with a punchy green salad and some crusty bread!
Notes
- Cheese – the original recipe states to use 100g of Asda Grated Four Cheese Blend which contains mozzarella, mild coloured cheddar, double Gloucester and Monterey Jack cheeses…feel free to use whatever cheeses you like – I like mozzarella, red leicester and extra mature cheddar.
- Make it vegetarian - replace the chicken with roasted peppers, tinned artichokes and extra olives.
- This paprika chicken pasta bake recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.