Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 butternut pumpkin, peeled and diced into 1cm pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 500g macaroni
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 short-cut bacon rashers, diced
- 60g butter
- 1/3 cup plain flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups tasty cheese, grated
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C, fan forced.
- Place pumpkin on a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Roast pumpkin in the oven for 30 minutes or until browned and just tender. Remove from oven, set aside to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan cook macaroni following packet directions, drain and return to saucepan.
- Place chicken in a large saucepan, cover chicken with water and season with salt and pepper.
- Poach chicken by bringing it to the boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 8 minutes.
- Remove from heat and set aside until needed.
- Heat a small frying pan with a dash of oil, cook bacon for 3-5 minutes or until browned.
- To make the cheese sauce, melt butter in medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat until foaming.
- Add flour, then cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until mixture bubbles and begins to come away from the side of the pan. Remove from heat.
- Gradually pour in milk, and whisk continuously until the mixture is smooth.
- Return saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to the boil, stir continuously for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens.
- Remove from heat. Add the cheese and stir until cheese melts. Season with salt and pepper, set aside.
- Using a fork, shred the poached chicken.
- Add chicken, bacon, pumpkin, spinach and cheese sauce to the pasta, gently stir to combine.
- Spoon pasta mixture into a 4L capacity baking dish.
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
- Bake pasta bake in oven for 20-30 minutes or until golden. Serve.
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dinner
