Cheese, Chicken Breast and Spinach Penne Bake
with Bacon Crumb
This Cheese, Chicken Breast and Spinach Penne Bake is a crowd pleaser and is one to get the family round the dinner table for. Super simple to make, and easily customised to suit the kids too.
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
Ingredients
90 grams
Mature Cheddar Cheese
(Contains Milk)
180 grams
Penne Pasta
(Contains Cereals containing gluten)
40 grams
Baby Spinach
60 grams
British Smoked Bacon Lardons
25 grams
Panko Breadcrumbs
(Contains Cereals containing gluten)
10 grams
Chicken Stock Paste
1 sachet(s)
Mixed Herbs
150 grams
Creme Fraiche
(Contains Milk)
260 grams
Diced British Chicken Breast
Not included in your delivery
1 tbsp
Olive Oil for the Crumb
30 grams
Butter
2 tbsp
Plain Flour
200 milliliter(s)
Water for the Sauce
Nutritional information
Utensils
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7.
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil with 1/2 tsp salt for the pasta.
Grate the Cheddar cheese.
When boiling, add the penne to the water and bring back to the boil. Cook until tender, 12 mins.
Pop the spinach into a colander in your sink.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain it over the spinach until wilted and piping hot. Drizzle the penne with a little oil to prevent it from sticking. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the chicken to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Fry until golden brown on the outside, 5-6 mins, then remove from the pan and set aside. IMPORTANT: Wash your hands and equipment after handling raw chicken and its packaging.
Put the pan back on medium-high heat then add the bacon lardons and stir-fry until lightly browned, 1-2 mins.
Pour the bacon and its excess fat into a medium bowl. Mix in the breadcrumbs and olive oil for the crumb (see pantry for amount), season with salt and pepper, then stir to combine. Set aside.
Pop your (now empty) frying pan back on medium-high heat with the butter (see pantry for amount).
Once the butter has melted, stir in the flour (see pantry for amount). Cook until it forms a paste, 1-2 mins - you've made a roux!
Gradually stir in the water for the sauce (see pantry for amount) chicken stock paste. Add the diced chicken back into the pan, then bring to the boil, then stir and simmer until thickened, 1-2 mins.
Stir in the mixed herbs and creme fraiche, then remove from the heat.
Add the grated Cheddar to the sauce and stir until melted. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Stir the cooked pasta, diced chicken and spinach into the sauce until combined. Add a splash of water to loosen the sauce if you like.
Pour the creamy pasta into an ovenproof dish, then sprinkle the bacon crumb evenly over the top. Bake on the top shelf of your oven until golden, 8-10 mins. IMPORTANT: Cook bacon thoroughly. The chicken is cooked when no longer pink in the middle.
When everything's ready, serve the penne bake between your bowls.
Enjoy!
