Description
A rich and comforting pasta bake made with tender chicken, mini chicken sausages wrapped in streaky bacon, a creamy cheese sauce, and a golden mozzarella and cheddar topping.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 ounces rigatoni or penne
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, diced
- 8 mini chicken sausages
- 8 slices streaky bacon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
- 2 cups whole milk, warmed
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package directions, then drain.
- Wrap each mini chicken sausage with 1 slice of streaky bacon.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the bacon-wrapped sausages for 4 to 5 minutes, then transfer them to a plate.
- In the same skillet, cook the diced chicken thighs for 5 to 6 minutes until lightly golden.
- Lower the heat, add the butter and chopped onion, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle in the plain flour and stir for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the warmed milk and chicken stock until smooth.
- Stir in the cream cheese, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until the sauce is smooth. Add 1 cup of cheddar and 1/2 cup of mozzarella, stirring until melted.
- Fold the drained pasta and cooked chicken into the sauce. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and nestle the browned bacon-wrapped sausages across the top.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar and 1/2 cup mozzarella over the dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbling and golden around the edges.
- Let the bake rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then finish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- Cook the pasta slightly under so it finishes perfectly in the oven.
- Freshly shredded cheese melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
- Add a splash of milk when reheating leftovers to keep the sauce creamy.
- You can assemble the dish up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 690
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 43g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
Keywords: cheesy chicken in blankets pasta bake, chicken sausage pasta bake, creamy chicken pasta bake, bacon wrapped chicken sausage pasta, baked pasta dinner