Healthy chicken pasta bake

Try this healthy chicken pasta bake with peppers, courgette and ricotta for a nutritious midweek dinner. It’s sure to be a hit with everyone

Ingredients

• 300g wholemeal penne
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 peppers (we used 1 yellow and 1 orange), deseeded and chopped
• 1 large courgette (160g), coarsely grated
• 3 large garlic cloves, finely grated
• 500g carton passata
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1½ tsp vegetable bouillon powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder (optional)
• 25g Kalamata olives (about 8), sliced
• 400g chicken breasts (2 large), cut into pieces
• large handful of basil, chopped, plus extra to serve
• 100g ricotta
• 20g finely grated mature cheddar

Directions

Method

• STEP 1

  Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

• STEP 2

  Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and fry the peppers for 8 mins, stirring until they start to soften. Add the courgette and garlic, stir for a few minutes more, then tip in the passata and stir in the smoked paprika, bouillon, chilli, if using, and olives. Simmer for 3-4 mins.

• STEP 3

  Drain the pasta, reserving the pasta water. Tip the pasta into the passata mixture along with the chicken, half a mug of the pasta water and the basil. Stir together well, then tip into baking dish.

• STEP 4

  Mix the ricotta in a bowl with 5 tbsp of the pasta water and spread across the top of the pasta. Sprinkle over the cheddar, then bake for 35 mins. Scatter with a few extra basil leaves, if you like, and serve.