Chicken & Spinach Fettuccine Bake

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 250 g fettuccine pasta
• 2 (250 g) frozen spinach
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed (vary according to taste preferences)
• 50 g butter, chopped
• 500 g chicken strips, stir-fry strips
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse grain mustard
• 2 (300 ml) containers light cream
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 200 g garlic bread

Recipe

• 1 cook pasta in a pan of boiling, salted water until al dente, and drain.
• 2 mix the mustards and cream in a small bowl until they are well-combined.
• 3 thaw and drain spinach, squeeze out moisture and chop coarsely.
• 4 sauté the onion and garlic in butter over a medium heat until it has just softened but not browned; add chicken; cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until it has changed colour and is clearly cooked through.
• 5 add the mustards and cream mixture and increase the heat so that the mixture just comes to the boil; reduce the heat slightly and stir in the cheese and spinach, mixing until everything is well-combined.
• 6 season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
• 7 stir in the pasta, and make sure that everything is well-combined.
• 8 spoon the mixture into a large ovenproof – and if you are planning to freeze the dish also freezer-proof – 10-cup capacity dish.
• 9 arrange garlic bread slices over the top and cook uncovered in a moderately hot oven (190°c) for about 30 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown.
• 10 stand for 5 minutes and serve.
• 11 to freeze: make the recipe to the end of step 8; cool for 15 minutes; cover tightly with plastic wrap; label and date; freeze for up to 2 months.
• 12 to serve: thaw pasta in its dish in the refrigerator; remove plastic wrap; cover tightly with foil; place on an oven tray; cook in a hot oven (200°c) for about 11/2 hours, or until hot; remove foil; arrange garlic bread slices over the top of the pasta and cook uncovered for a further 15 minutes or until the bread is golden brown; stand for 5 minutes and serve.