Pasta Bake

Ingredients

• 500 gchicken breast, thinly sliced
• 500 gpasta of your choice (rigatoni used)
• ½red pepper, diced
• ½yellow pepper, diced
• about 150 g (2 cups)sliced mushrooms
• 30 g (2 tbsp)butter
• 5 ml (1 tsp)all-purpose seasoning
• 5 ml (1 tsp)Vegeta seasoning
• 5 ml (1 tsp)chicken seasoning
• 5 ml (1 tsp)mixed herbs
• 2chicken stock cubes
• 5 ml (1 tsp)chilli paste
• 2.5 ml (½ tsp)black pepper
• 2.5 ml (½ tsp)white pepper
• 1onion, diced
• 2 (optional)shallots, finely chopped
• 5garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 jarLeggo's creamy mozzarella pasta sauce
• 1 jarpassata with herbs
• 60 ml (¼ cup)thickened cream
• about 35 g (¼ cup)sliced Kalamata olives
• amount not specifiedbéchamel sauce
• amount not specifiedcheese, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the pasta

   Boil the pasta following the packet instructions. Drain it and set it aside.

2. 2

   Soften the vegetables

   Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onion, garlic and peppers, then sauté until the onion is translucent.

3. 3

   Cook the chicken

   Add the chicken and stir it through. Cook it all the way through, then add the mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Season the mixture

   Stir in the chicken stock cubes, all the spices and seasonings, then add the chilli paste.

5. 5

   Add sauce and pasta

   Stir in both jars of sauce. Fill one empty pasta-sauce jar with water, shake it and pour the water into the pot. Add the olives and cream and stir, then mix in the pasta. Bring the mixture to a boil and transfer it to an oven tray.

6. 6

   Top and bake

   Pour béchamel sauce over the pasta, sprinkle with cheese and bake until the cheese is golden.

7. 7

   Rest and serve

   Leave the bake to rest for 30 minutes. Serve with garlic bread and salad.

What is pasta bake?

Pasta bake is a family of oven-finished pasta dishes rather than one fixed recipe: cooked pasta is combined with sauce and other ingredients, topped, and baked. This version brings together chicken, vegetables, tomato passata and a creamy mozzarella sauce.

Its layered sauces give the pasta a rich, savoury coating, while the final béchamel and cheese topping is intended to brown in the oven. Rigatoni is a useful choice because its ridges and hollow centres hold onto the sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 930 calories, 53g protein, 103g carbs, 31g fat.

Most of the carbohydrates come from the pasta, while butter, cream, mozzarella sauce, béchamel and cheese contribute much of the fat. Chicken supplies most of the protein, with smaller contributions from the pasta and sauces. Serve it with a good portion of salad to add freshness and balance the rich bake.

Choosing the pasta and sauce

Rigatoni: its sturdy shape suits a substantial bake and is easy to mix through the chicken and vegetables. Other short pasta shapes can also be used, provided they are cooked according to their packet directions.

Jarred sauces: the recipe combines creamy mozzarella sauce with passata, then loosens the mixture with water from one of the jars. The amount of water is not specified, so use the stated jarful and stir thoroughly to distribute it.

Cook the chicken fully

Chicken: the method calls for thinly sliced breast and says to cook it all the way through before adding the mushrooms. Spread the pieces around the pot as you stir so they cook evenly.

Mushrooms: add them after the chicken has cooked, then sauté for the specified 5 minutes. This gives them time in the pan before the sauces and pasta are added.

Build flavour in the pot

Aromatics: cook the onion, garlic and peppers in butter until the onion turns translucent. That visual cue indicates the onion has softened before the chicken goes in.

Seasonings: the recipe uses stock cubes, several seasonings, herbs, two types of pepper and chilli paste. Stir them in well so they are distributed through the chicken and vegetables before adding the sauces.

Get the pasta texture right

Pasta: drain it after boiling according to the packet instructions, then set it aside until the sauce mixture is ready. Since the pasta will be mixed with sauce and baked, avoid leaving it to sit in water after draining.

Sauce: mix the pasta through the pot until it is coated, then bring the combined mixture to a boil as directed before transferring it to the tray. The finished bake should be moist beneath its béchamel and cheese topping.

Browning and resting

Topping: spread the béchamel over the pasta and scatter cheese on top. The recipe gives no oven temperature or baking time, so use the golden colour of the cheese as the stated finish cue.

Resting: leave the bake for 30 minutes before serving. This is a substantial rest, so plan for it when timing the meal.

What to serve alongside

The suggested sides are garlic bread and salad. The salad adds a fresh contrast to the creamy, savoury pasta, while garlic bread is handy for the sauce.

For a simpler plate, serve the bake with a generous portion of salad and add garlic bread according to appetite.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the chicken into similarly thin pieces so it cooks more evenly.
• Keep the pasta water-free after draining so it does not dilute the sauce.
• Stir the seasonings through the chicken and vegetables before adding the sauces.
• Use one empty sauce jar to measure the water, as the method directs.
• Check the topping for a golden colour rather than relying on an unspecified baking time.
• Allow the full 30-minute rest before serving.

Variations

• Change the pasta: use another short shape that can be mixed easily with the sauce.
• Adjust the heat: use less chilli paste for a milder bake.
• Skip the shallots: leave them out, as they are marked optional.
• Add extra vegetables: increase the peppers or mushrooms while keeping the sauce method the same.
• Serve with greens: pair the bake with a crisp salad instead of garlic bread.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Guessing the bake time: the recipe gives no time or oven temperature, so watch for golden cheese.
• Adding the chicken in thick pieces: slice it thinly so it cooks through in the stated pan stage.
• Leaving the pasta in water: drain it and set it aside before it becomes waterlogged.
• Skipping the sauce-jar water: shake water in one empty jar and add it as instructed to loosen the mixture.
• Serving straight from the oven: rest the bake for 30 minutes before portioning.

How to store

Cool leftovers and refrigerate them in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout, using the oven or a microwave; add a small splash of water if the pasta seems dry.

Frequently asked questions