Béchamel Chicken Pasta
Description
This béchamel chicken pasta recipe consists of chicken breast, penne pasta, vegetables, and herbs, and is topped with a béchamel and mozzarella cheese.
Ingredients
•
1 (16 ounce) package dried penne pasta
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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1 small onion, diced
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1 green bell pepper, diced
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3 cloves garlic, minced
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2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
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1 bunch cilantro
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1 (6 ounce) can Italian-flavored tomato paste
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1/2 cup frozen peas
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1/2 cup water
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3 sprigs fresh dill weed, chopped
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salt and pepper to taste
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5 tablespoons butter
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1 cube chicken bouillon
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5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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3 cups milk
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pepper to taste
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2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions
1
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain.
2
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook until tender. Stir in chicken; cook until almost cooked through. Stir in cilantro, tomato paste, peas, enough water to make a thick sauce, and dill; cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear, and mixture is heated through. Season with salt and black pepper.
4
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add bouillon cube; stir until dissolved. Stir in flour until smooth, stirring constantly. Stir in milk; season with black pepper. Continue cooking and stirring until béchamel sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5
Combine penne and ½ béchamel sauce in a bowl. Transfer ½ penne mixture to a baking dish; layer with ½ chicken mixture, and ½ mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining each ½ penne mixture, ½ chicken mixture, and ½ béchamel sauce. Top with remaining ½ mozzarella cheese.
6
Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, about 30 minutes.