Marry Me Pasta Bake
A cozy, creamy pasta bake featuring tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and spinach in a garlic cream sauce, topped with melted golden mozzarella.
Ingredients
- Ingredients
- For the Chicken
- 600 g chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil for cooking
- For the Marry Me Sauce
- 1-2 tbsp oil from sun-dried tomato jar
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 4-5 garlic cloves chopped
- 2-3 sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 100 g cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp red chilli flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp MSG
- 400 ml cream at least 15% fat
- 150 g baby spinach
- For Layering and Baking
- 500 g boiled pasta cooked al dente
- Cooked chicken
- Marry me pasta sauce
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking water
- 300 g shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Instructions
- Season chicken with paprika, salt, black pepper, and soy sauce. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken for 5-7 minutes until browned. Set aside.
- In the same skillet, add 1-2 tbsp oil from the sun-dried tomato jar. Sauté chopped onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes.
- Add sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes until softened.
- Deglaze with chicken stock, then add paprika, black pepper, sugar, chilli flakes, salt, and MSG.
- Pour in cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in baby spinach until wilted, then remove sauce from heat.
- Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F).
- In a deep baking dish, combine boiled pasta, cooked chicken, prepared sauce, and 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking water. Mix thoroughly.
- Top evenly with 300g shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and golden brown on top. Serve hot!
Notes
Notes:
- Sun-Dried Tomato Oil: Using the aromatic oil from the sun-dried tomato jar to cook the aromatics gives the sauce incredible depth of flavor.
- Al Dente Pasta: Boil your pasta 1-2 minutes short of package instructions so it finishes cooking in the oven without turning mushy.
- Sun-Dried Tomato Oil: Using the aromatic oil from the sun-dried tomato jar to cook the aromatics gives the sauce incredible depth of flavor.
- Al Dente Pasta: Boil your pasta 1-2 minutes short of package instructions so it finishes cooking in the oven without turning mushy.