Chicken, Bacon & Tomato Pasta Bake

You just can’t beat a homemade chicken, bacon & tomato pasta salad. Making this dish yourself is so easy, satisfying and very tasty.

This is a great way to use up any left-over chicken or turkey from your Sunday dinner and I am sure this will work with other left-over meats too.

Pasta choice:

I have used a bag of shop bought fresh spiral pasta in my dish but any pasta will do for this recipe so go with whatever pasta that you prefer.

If you are using dried pasta, cook the pasta of your choice to the manufactures instructions. If you are using fresh pasta as I have done in my dish, this normally only wants a few minutes to cook. Set the pasta aside. (Save a cup of the pasta water fort later)

Chicken & Bacon

I have simply oven roasted 2 medium chicken breasts and sliced them up but it is also ok to use shop bought pre-cooked chicken breasts or whole cooked chicken and simply shred or slice it and set aside.

I have used smoked rindless bacon medallions for my dish but any smoked back bacon can be used, just remember to remove any visible fat first, slice to thin strands ad set aside.

Fry off the diced onions and sliced bacon in a little One-Cal spray oil for 3- 4 minutes. Add the crushed garlic, Tomato puree, oregano, salt and cracked black pepper and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes.

NOTE: If the pan becomes a little dry, add some of the pasta water to loosen off the mixture.

Add the sliced chicken and toss through for 2 minutes then add the chopped tomatoes and cook until all ingredients are well combined and hot throughout.

Spoon the pasta mix into individual oven proof bowls and cover each bowl with 40 grams of reduced fat cheddar cheese.

Place on the top shelf of the oven or grill and plate a d grill for a few minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden in colour.

To garnish, sprinkle with some freshly chopped parsley and serve.

Chicken & Bacon Pasta Salad

Recipe by Steve WalkerCourse: Lunch, Main Meals, Pasta SaladDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

This is a great way to use up any left over chicken or turkey from your Sunday dinner and I am sure this will work with other left over meats too.

Ingredients

• 300g pasta (Cooked to packet instructions)

• 4 Chicken breasts (Roasted and shredded or sliced)

• 4 rashers of smoked back bacon (All visible fat removed and sliced into thin strips)

• 1 Medium onion (Diced)

• 1Tsp. Oregano

• 1 Tin chopped tomatoes

• 1/2 Tsp. Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 Tsp Salt

• 2 Garlic cloves (crushed or grated)

• 1 tbsp. Tomato puree

• 1 Knorr chicken stock pot (or your preferred chicken stock)

• 1 cup of starchy pasta water (After cooking the pasta, save a cup of the pasta water)

• One-Cal Spray Olive oil

• Chopped fresh parsley to garnish

• 120 g Reduced fat cheddar cheese (I use 50% reduced fat cheese)

Directions

• Cook the pasta as per the packet instructions in well seasoned boiling water, Drain, and set aside.
• Roast the chicken breast and shred or slice up and set aside.
• Fry off the diced onions and sliced bacon in a little One-Cal spray oil for 3- 4 minutes.
• Add the sliced chicken and toss through for 2 minutes then add the crushed garlic, Tomato puree, oregano, salt and cracked black pepper, chicken stock pot and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, chicken stock pot and cook until all ingredients are well combined and hot throughout.
  
  NOTE: If the pan becomes a little dry, add some of the pasta water to loosen off the mixture.
• Spoon the pasta mix into individual oven proof bowls and cover each bowl with 40 grams of reduced fat cheddar cheese.
• Place on the top shelf of the oven or grill for a few minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden in colour.
  
  To garnish, sprinkle with some freshly chopped parsley and serve.

Notes

• This recipe can also simply be made as a one pot dish with no need to separate into individual dishes. But it does look good though!
• I have used a bag of shop bought fresh spiral pasta in my dish but any pasta will do for this recipe so go with whatever pasta that you prefer.
• NOTE: If the pan becomes a little dry, add some of the pasta water to loosen off the mixture.