Creamy Chicken & Bacon Pasta Bake

• Chicken breast(500 g)
• Bacon(200 g)
• Penne(300 g)
• Onion(1)
• Garlic(3 cloves)
• Tomato paste(2 tbsp)
• Canned tomatoes(400 g)
• Heavy cream(200 ml)
• Mozzarella(150 g)
• Parmesan(50 g)
• Olive oil(1 tbsp)
• Dried Oregano(1 tsp)
• Paprika(1 tsp)
• Salt(1 tsp)
• Black pepper(½ tsp)
• Fresh basil(10 g)optional

Method

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 200°C. Cut the {Chicken breast} into small irregular bite-size pieces, chop the {Bacon}, finely chop the {Onion}, and mince the {Garlic}. Grate the {Parmesan} and tear the {Mozzarella}.

   ~10 min

2. 2

   Boil the {Penne} in well-salted water for 8 minutes, until just under al dente. Drain and set aside.

   ~8 min

3. 3

   Meanwhile, heat the {Olive oil} in a large ovenproof pan or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the {Bacon} and cook for 4 minutes until starting to turn golden. Add the {Chicken breast}, {Onion}, {Salt}, and {Black pepper}, then cook for 5 minutes, breaking the chicken up and stirring until the chicken loses its raw color. Stir in the {Garlic}, {Paprika}, {Oregano}, and {Tomato paste} for 1 minute.

   ~10 min

4. 4

   Add the {Canned tomatoes} and {Heavy cream}. Simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened, then stir in the drained {Penne}, half the {Mozzarella}, and half the {Parmesan} until everything is evenly coated.

   ~5 min

5. 5

   Scatter over the remaining {Mozzarella} and remaining {Parmesan}. Bake for 12 minutes until bubbling and golden on top. Finish with torn {Fresh basil} if using, then serve.

   ~12 min