Pasta bake with chicken and bacon
This chicken, bacon, and leek pasta bake is creamy, cheesy, and comforting. With a golden topping and rich flavor, it’s the perfect family dinner.
Updated : 30 September, 2025
Easy
About 20 min.
Ingredients
500 grams
Chicken breast (fillet)
500 milliliters
Chicken broth
50 grams
Butter
8 piece
Smoked bacon
1
Leeks
50 grams
Flour
1 teaspoon
Mustard
500 milliliters
Milk
150 grams
Cheddar
320 grams
Pasta
2 tablespoon
Parmesan
to taste
Salt
to taste
Ground black pepper
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 220C.
Step 2
For raw chicken breasts, arrange them in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with 600ml/20fl oz chicken stock. Place over low–medium heat until the stock begins to simmer, then turn off the heat and cover with a lid. After 10 minutes, check the chicken - it should be cooked through. Remove and reserve both the chicken and stock.
Step 3
In a large saucepan, melt the butter and add the chopped bacon, frying until it starts to crisp. Lift the bacon out with a slotted spoon, leaving the butter in the pan.
Step 4
Add the thinly sliced leeks and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened. Stir in the flour and mustard, cooking for 1 minute, then slowly whisk in the milk, followed by 500ml/18fl oz of the reserved chicken stock, until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute once bubbling to thicken the sauce.
Step 5
Tear or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in two-thirds of the cheese, most of the bacon, and all of the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 6
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and cook the pasta according to packet instructions, around 9 minutes, or until al dente. Drain thoroughly and combine with the sauce in a large baking dish.
Step 7
Top with the remaining cheddar, bacon, and Parmesan. Bake for 15 minutes, until the surface is golden and the sauce is bubbling.