Chicken, Mushroom and Courgette Pasta Bake

When I was away in Northumberland we out for quite a lot of our meals, especially with the builders making everything fishy! We made a very ad hock pasta bake with what was in the fridge one night, it was really simple but very tasty, and a small amount of ingredients went a long way, we'd had a reasonable sized lunch so we only ate about 2/3rds between us but on a normal night it serves two.

Chicken, Mushroom and Courgette Pasta Bake

(Serves 2-3)

100g dried pasta shapes

2 tbsp oil

1 chicken breast, cubed

1 large portobello mushroom, chopped

1 small courgette, sliced

25g butter

25g flour

1/2 tsp mustard powder

400ml milk

30g cheddar cheese, grated 

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the pasta according to packet instructions until al dente. Drain.

Meanwhile, put the oil in a frying pan and add the chicken, cook until browned then remove from the pan. Add a little more oil and add the mushroom and courgette and cook until golden.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour and mix together, cook for a min or so to let the flour cook out. Stir in the mustard powder. Add the milk a little at a time, stirring well in between each addition, until you have a thick sauce.

Add the pasta, chicken, mushroom and courgette to the white sauce and mix until well combined. Tip into an ovenproof dish and cover with cheese.

Put into the oven and bake for 25-30 mins until golden and bubbling. serve with salad.