Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Penne Bake

Ingredients

• 150g chicken breast or boneless thigh for this meal
• 70g extra chicken for Dinner 3
• 75g penne or other pasta
• ½ garlic clove, crushed
• 25g sun-dried tomatoes, drained of most oil and chopped
• ¼ tsp dried thyme leaves or small sprig fresh
• Small pinch dried rosemary or small sprig fresh, finely chopped
• 120ml low-salt or no-salt chicken or vegetable stock
• 90ml extra-thick cream or double cream
• 20g parmesan or Italian hard cheese
• 5ml rapeseed or olive oil
• 50–75ml pasta cooking water if needed

Method

1. Heat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan.
2. Cut the chicken into large strips or thick pieces. Keep the Dinner 3 extra chicken pieces separate in the pan so they are easy to remove.
3. Heat oil in a large ovenproof frying pan or skillet. Brown the chicken on both sides for 3–4 minutes. It does not need to be fully cooked yet.
4. Remove the Dinner 3 extra chicken once cooked through or nearly cooked through, and finish it separately in the oven if needed. Cool quickly and refrigerate.
5. Lower the heat. Add garlic, thyme and rosemary to the pan and cook for 1 minute, making sure the garlic does not burn.
6. Add sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1–2 minutes.
7. Add stock gradually, stirring to lift flavour from the pan.
8. Add cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
9. Remove baby and toddler portions if you need them to be lower-salt before adding parmesan.
10. Stir in parmesan until melted.
11. Return the chicken to the sauce and spoon sauce over the top.
12. Transfer the skillet to the oven for 12–15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through with no pink in the middle.
13. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to packet instructions. Cook younger-child pasta slightly softer if needed.
14. Mix pasta with the creamy chicken sauce, adding a splash of pasta water if needed.