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OK, I tried out something new tonight. I winged it, but I am happy to say it turned out pretty good. I will make it again with some minor adjustments next time, but we love it.
Crunchy Delight: Mastering Chicken Fusilli Pasta Bake
Ingredients & How to Kick-start Your Pasta Bake
For a start, gather a whole chicken or chicken pieces, two or three large onions, and 450g of Fusilli noodles. Ingredients like vegan mayonnaise, abundant sharp cheddar cheese, 450ml of half-and-half cream, and a tin of cream of mushroom soup are crucial. A family-size bag of sour cream and chives chips will top it all off with a crunch. Begin by cleaning and, if necessary, deboning the chicken. This step is pivotal for integrating the chicken smoothly into the dish. Next, chopping onions into substantial chunks is key; they offer texture and a profound flavor that only the best produce can bring.
Navigating the Chicken Fusilli Pasta Bake
Frying onions will start the process, creating a fragrant base once they soften. Added are seasoned chicken pieces, which are brought to tender perfection with just enough water. After cooling, the chicken is easily deboned. In the same pot, Fusilli noodles cook to al dente perfection, soaking up the chicken’s flavorful juices. These noodles are then combined with a rich mix of mayonnaise, half-and-half cream, cheddar cheese, and cream of mushroom soup. Topped with a crisp layer of cheddar, sour cream, and chive chips, the dish bakes to a golden delight. This sequential process layers flavors and textures for a comforting and crunchy chicken fusilli masterpiece.
Enjoying and Preserving Your Chicken Fusilli Creation
To bring your Chicken Fusilli pasta bake to life on the dinner table, try adding a sprinkle of fresh herbs for a splash of color and flavor. If you find yourself with leftovers, tightly wrap them up; they’ll stay delicious in the refrigerator for a few days. These pasta bakes are perfect for those nights when time runs short, transitioning effortlessly from your fridge to your oven.
A Memorable Bite: An Ode to Flexibility and Flavor
One will find ample joy in tailoring the Chicken Fusilli Pasta Bake to their palate. The option to substitute sour cream and chive chips for another flavor or to opt for vegan mayonnaise broadens the horizon for this homely dish. This practice of customization encourages not just a meal but a personal experience to relish. Sharing this creation, rich with cheesy pasta bake, tender chicken, and perfectly cooked Fusilli noodles, becomes a moment of connection. It’s the surprise crunch from the chips atop that leaves a lasting memory, elevating an ordinary pasta bake recipe into a comfort food masterpiece.
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Chicken Fusilli Pasta Dish
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings depending on size 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Easy
Description
Share the joy of this delicious and super easy Chicken Fusilli Pasta favorite.
Ingredients
- 4 back attached chicken or one whole chicken.
- 2–3 large onions (depending on the size) chopped, but it must be large chunks. I used 2 rather large onions.
- 1 large bag, 450 g Fusilli noodles (corkscrew or helical shape). You can also use Rotini noodles, the shorter ones, or, for that matter, any pasta.
- 1 cup mayonnaise (I only had a vegan version in the fridge, but I am sure regular will be perfect).
- At least 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese or even more depending on your taste. Unfortunately, I did not have 2 cups, so only used what I had, but will add more next time.
- 450 ml carton, or up to 2 cups half-and-half cream
- 1 x 410 g tin of cream of mushroom soup
- 1 large family-size bag of crushed sour cream and chives chips. Again, I am sure you can use anything else. I love cream and chives chips, so that’s what I used.
- Chicken spice, dried rosemary, thyme, and basil
Instructions
- Clean the back attached chicken pieces, and if you use a whole chicken cut it into pieces. I used the back attached so I did not cut it up.
- Chop up the onions (large chunks).
- Add a bit of oil to the pot and start to fry the onions.
- Add the chicken pieces with the onion and spices of your preference. I added some chicken spice, dried rosemary, thyme, and basil.
- Add a bit of water, and top up as needed, to cook the chicken.
- I used a large pressure cooker-size pot, although did not use it as such. I used it because it’s the biggest and best pot I have.
- Once cooked and fall off the bone tender, let it cool down and debone and shred the chicken.
- In the meantime, cook the noodles as per package directions, in the same pot as the chicken because then you can get the extra juice and flavor from the chicken.
- Only cook the pasta al dente, as it must not be soft and mushy. Remember, you will still bake it at the end.
- Mix all the other ingredients in a large container but keep the 1 cup of cheese and the chips separate.
- Add 1 cup of cheese (more if you wish) to the bag of crushed chips and set it aside.
Heat the oven to 180°C / 350F. - Spray a dish with oil (or any spray you prefer) and add all the ingredients to your baking dish/es.
- I divided it into 4 additional containers, one for immediate use, and the other 3 into small bread-size tinfoil containers for freezing.
- Mix the last cup of cheese and chips and add that on top of the chicken pasta mixture. Now, if you wish, you can add more cheese, which I will do next time.
- Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the cheese melted and started to bubble and your dish has turned light brown.
- I did not have enough grated cheese available, but it was still super delicious, and I must admit I loved the crunch of the chips.
- Serve immediately with a side of green salad.
Notes
Created, Prepared, tried, and tested by Esme from SA Tasty Recipes – Saffas Daily Recipes and EsmeSalon Homemade Recipes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 1865
- Sugar: 16.3 g
- Sodium: 1788.9 mg
- Fat: 96.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 22.4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 145.4 g
- Fiber: 6.3 g
- Protein: 96.6 g
- Cholesterol: 292.5 mg
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I’d like to give this recipe a try.
Hope you will enjoy this one Jo, many of my recipes are by the seat of my pants, some better than other, but this turned out pretty good, although I have to say so myself. Have fun preparing and above all enjoy it.
This sounds and looks so delicious! I like the crunchy texture on top, Thanks for sharing!
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Hello Kathrine, Thank you so much hope you will try and enjoy this chicken dish. Many times I made a dish by the seat of my pants, some are good and some not, but we enjoyed this one.