Chicken and Leek Cheesy Pasta Bake

Chicken and leek is one of my favourite flavour combinations. And everyone knows that I love a big bowl o’ pasta! There is something just unendingly comforting about tucking into a bowl of cheesy pasta, with vegetables and delicious roast chicken dotted between.

I feel like this is a perfect autumnal meal, and a great way to use up leftover chicken from the Sunday roast. This is a perfect weekday meal, and one I shall continue to perfect – next time I think I might do a béchamel instead of just milk, and add some grated cheddar to make the cheesy-ness even stronger!

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 leeks
• 400g pasta
• 2 garlic cloves
• 100ml wine
• 100ml chicken stock
• 100g peas
• ½ a leftover roast chicken, or 3 cooked chicken breasts.
• 175g ricotta cheese
• 100ml milk
• Salt and pepper
• 50g parmesan

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Melt the butter and fry the leeks over a medium heat for 10 minutes until softened.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta until just al dente and set aside.

Add garlic to the leeks and cook for 1 more minute, then stir though the stock and wine. Let this cook for 10 minutes, then add the peas.

Place the pasta in a large bowl, and add in the leek mixture.

Then place the shredded chicken on top. Mix together, then stir through the ricotta and milk. Season well.

Tip all of this into an oven proof dish, sprinkle with parmesan and some freshly ground pepper.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Ta-da! Here's one I made earlier.

Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before portioning up.