Uncle Phil's Chicken & Bacon Pasta Bake
Once you try Uncle Phil's creamy chicken and bacon pasta bake you'll never stop making it!
Servings: 5 - 6
Cost: £3.50 / $4
Equipment
- Food Processor (for garlic breadcrumbs)
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Deep Saucepan & Wooden Spoon (for sauce)
- Large Pot & Colander (for pasta)
- Jug (for stock)
- Cheese Grater
- Large Baking Dish
- Serving Spoon
Ingredients
- 250g / 9oz Smoked Bacon, diced
- 1 medium White Onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 2 Anchovy Fillets, finely diced (see notes)
- 400g / 14oz Penne
- 60g / 2oz Butter
- 60g / 2oz Plain Flour
- 480ml / 2 cups Chicken Stock
- 480ml / 2 cups Milk (semi-skimmed or whole)
- 120ml / 1/2 cup Double/Heavy Cream
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/4 tsp White Pepper
- 150g / 1 1/2 cups Cheddar, grated
- 50g / 1/2 cup Mozzarella, shredded
- 80g / 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 300g / 10.5oz Cooked Chicken, diced
- 1/2 stick of Garlic Bread, blitzed into a crumb-like texture in a food processor
- Oil Spray, as needed
Instructions
- Add the bacon to a large deep saucepan over medium heat and gently cook until crisp with the fat fully rendered down (can take 10-15 mins). Remove the bacon and place to one side, leaving the excess fat behind.
- Add the onion to the leftover fat and fry until soft and golden, then add the garlic and anchovies and fry for a further minute or so until the anchovies melt into the oil. Meanwhile, add the pasta to salted boiling water and cook until al dente then drain (needs to still be a teeny bit hard or it'll overcook in the oven).
- Melt the butter into the pan then stir in the flour to create a roux. Gradually add in the stock, milk and then cream, whisking as you go to ensure no lumps form. Stir in the mustard and white pepper, then bring the sauce to a simmer for 2 minutes to thicken. Preheat the oven to 200C/390F.
- Turn off the heat and stir through the cheddar, mozzarella and half of the parmesan. Stir through the drained pasta then stir in the cooked chicken and bacon.
- Pour it all into a large baking dish, then top with the parmesan, followed by the garlic breadcrumbs, followed by a liberal spray of oil. Place in the oven for 20 minutes until golden, crisp and bubbly. Tuck in and enjoy!
Video
Notes
a) Pasta - Ensure the pasta is al dente before stirring it through the sauce. It will carry on cooking as it bakes in the oven. Penne is used here but any other short-cut pasta will work!
b) Anchovies - These add lovely flavour to the sauce. They don't make the pasta bake taste fishy! If you really don't want to add them then consider seasoning the sauce with some salt or adding in some extra parmesan.
c) Leftovers - This is best served fresh, but you can tightly store leftovers in the fridge for a few days and reheat until piping hot again.
d) Calories - Whole recipe divided by 6.
Nutrition
Calories: 983kcal | Carbohydrates: 78.76g | Protein: 42.86g | Fat: 55.73g | Saturated Fat: 21.154g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.65g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10.609g | Trans Fat: 0.791g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 967mg | Potassium: 743mg | Fiber: 8.5g | Sugar: 6.7g | Vitamin A: 1246IU | Vitamin C: 1.9mg | Calcium: 460mg | Iron: 2.7mg