Chicken Pasta Bake

I discovered this recipe during a power outage when I had to use up thawing chicken and whatever else I could find. Turns out, cooking by candlelight leads to some pretty inspired decisions.

The combination of crispy bacon edges and melty cheese patches on top is what makes this different from your standard pasta bake. It’s like someone took all the best parts of a pizza and a pasta dish and refused to choose between them.

Don’t skip the step where you cook the bacon first and use its fat for the chicken. That’s not just being efficient – it adds this deep, savory layer that you can’t get any other way.

What You’ll Need

For the Seasoned Chicken:

• 500g chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 tsp cooking salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp Italian herb mix

For the Pasta Bake:

• 300g rigatoni
• 2 tsp salt (for pasta water)
• 5 slices streaky bacon
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 1/2 cup chardonnay
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 700g tomato passata
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp cooking salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 tomatoes
• 2 handfuls baby spinach
• 2 cups mozzarella
• 1/2 cup parmesan

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
2. Cook pasta in well-salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, rinse quickly under cold water, set aside.
3. Mix chicken pieces with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian herbs in a bowl.
4. Start with cold pan, add bacon, turn heat to medium-high. Let fat render and bacon crisp. Remove bacon, leave fat.
5. If needed, add oil to bacon fat. Cook seasoned chicken on high for 3 minutes until golden outside but not cooked through.
6. Using same pan, cook garlic and onion for 1 minute. Add chilli and oregano, cook 2 minutes until onion softens.
7. Pour in wine, let it bubble and reduce (1-2 minutes). Add tomato paste, cook 1 minute.
8. Add passata, water, salt, pepper, and partially-cooked chicken with its juices. Simmer 5 minutes.
9. Stir in spinach, tomatoes, pasta, and bacon pieces.
10. Transfer to baking dish (23x33cm). Top with mozzarella, then parmesan.
11. Bake 25 minutes until cheese melts and gets golden spots.

Substitutions That Actually Work

• Replace rigatoni with penne or ziti – they hold the sauce similarly
• Swap spinach for kale (remove stems, chop leaves small)
• Use chicken breast instead of thighs (reduce cooking time by 1 minute)
• No wine? Use chicken stock plus 1 tbsp lemon juice

Making It Diabetes-Friendly

• Use whole grain pasta instead of regular (reduces net carbs by 25%)
• Double the spinach and halve the pasta amount
• Replace half the mozzarella with ricotta to lower fat content
• Add extra vegetables like zucchini and bell peppers to bulk up serving size without adding carbs

Tips & Storage

• Make ahead: Assemble everything but don’t add cheese. Refrigerate up to 24 hours, add cheese just before baking
• Leftovers keep 3 days in fridge – reheat covered at 160°C/320°F for 15-20 minutes
• Freeze individual portions up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in fridge before reheating
• If sauce seems dry when reheating, add 2-3 tbsp water or stock before warming