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Creamy Chicken Pasta Bake served on a white plate with golden brown cheese layer.
Cheesy chicken pasta bake fresh from the oven

Creamy Chicken Pasta Bake

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses Quick Meals
The secret of pasta bakes lies not just in the ingredients, but the play of textures: juicy and creamy below, while the cheese bakes crisp on top. This is a textbook example of 'comfort food', where the acidity of sour cream balances the filling nature of pasta and meat. Although it seems simple, the precision of pre-cooking the pasta is key: if overcooked, it turns to mush in the oven.
🕒 Prep Time 25 mins
🍳 Cook Time 35 mins
⌛ Total Time 1 hr
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 590 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Hungarian

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Large pot (for pasta cooking)
  • Frying pan (for frying meat)
  • Roasting tin or ovenproof dish (for baking)
  • Grater

Allergen Information

⚠️ Cereals containing gluten
⚠️ Milk

Instructions

1 ✓

Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water, but for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions (before 'al dente'). Drain.

Tip: The pasta will absorb moisture from the sour cream sauce in the oven. If you cook it fully soft in water, it will disintegrate by the end (starch gelatinisation).
2 ✓

Prepare the ragu: dice the onion finely, crush the garlic, and cut the chicken breast into 2x2 cm cubes.

Tip: Uniform meat cubes ensure even cooking.
3 ✓

Heat the oil and sauté the onion until translucent, then add the garlic for half a minute.

Tip: Garlic burns quickly and becomes bitter, so we add it later than the onion.
4 ✓

Add the chicken, sprinkle with paprika, salt, and pepper. Fry on high heat until seared, but the centre doesn't need to be fully cooked.

Tip: Searing (browning) gives flavour. The inside will cook fully in the oven, staying juicy.
5 ✓

In a large bowl, toss together the drained pasta, sour cream, meat ragu, and half the grated cheese.

Tip: The fat content of the sour cream 'carries' flavours and keeps the dish moist.
6 ✓

Oil the roasting tin and sprinkle breadcrumbs on the bottom. Pour in the pasta mixture and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Tip: Breadcrumbs absorb excess moisture from the bottom and give a nice crispy base.
7 ✓

Bake at 180°C (fan) for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling on top.

Tip: Let rest for 10 minutes after baking. This allows juices to settle and it will slice/serve better.

Recipe FAQ

Why did it become dry?
You likely baked it too long, or over-fried the chicken breast at the start. You can add a little stock or pasta water to the sour cream mixture.
Can I use other pasta?
Yes, but short pasta (penne, fusilli) works best as sauce settles in their gaps.
Can I prepare it in advance?
Yes, you can assemble in the morning and just pop it in the oven in the evening. In this case, baking time might be a few minutes longer due to cold ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 300 g Dried pasta (e.g. penne or fusilli)
  • 400 g Chicken breast fillets
  • 350 g Soured cream (20%)
  • 150 g Semi-hard cheese (e.g. Cheddar or Gouda)
  • 1 head Onion
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Black pepper
  • 1 tbsp Breadcrumbs (for the tin)