Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake

My first ever post on a blog....so here goes!!

Serves 4 adults

4 chicken breasts

3 cups of broccoli florets

1 onion

2 cloves of garlic

splash of white wine (optional)

8oz of whole grain pasta (any type will do)

2 tbsp butter

2tbsp flour

2 cups milk

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

juice of half a lemon

1 cup of parmesan cheese

1. Pre-heat oven to 400F

2. Finely chop the onion and cook on a medium heat for 5-6 in 1 tbsp olive oil until translucent. Add crushed garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.

3. Add chopped chicken breasts (about 1 inch pieces) and stir until colored (2-3 minutes).

4. Add splash of white wine (if using) and raw broccoli florets and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through.

5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the instructions less 1 minute.

6. Whilst pasta is cooking, make the white sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan and once melted, add the flour. Stir and let the flour absorb all of the butter and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring all the time. Whisk in the milk bit by bit, waiting for the liquid to be completely absorbed before adding any more. If you don't be patient at this stage, you'll get lumps. Stir continuously until the sauce begins to thicken (this will only take 2-3 minutes on a medium heat). If you let the sauce go too far, just add a little more milk.

7. Add the mustard and lemon juice and stir well.

8. Add the cooked pasta and chicken/broccoli mix to the white sauce and then pour into a casserole dish. Grate the parmesan cheese over the top and put in the oven for 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has turned golden brown.

A different twist on this recipe is to use 4 pieces of haddock (about 6-8oz each) and 10oz spinach instead of the chicken and broccoli. Cook the onions and garlic as above, add the spinach and wilt for 2-3 minutes and then add to the white sauce and pasta. Mix and then add cubes of the raw fish and cook in the oven as above until the fish is cooked through (about 20-25 minutes) and the sauce is bubbling.

I served with a crunchy green salad with some sun dried tomatoes. Easy-peasy and very delicious!!