Cheesy Pancetta Pasta Bake
Cheesy Pancetta Pasta Bake
- prep time: 30 minutes
- cook time: 30 minutes
- total time: approx. 1 hour
Servings: Meal for 6
Ingredients:
- 4 Rosemary Garlic Chicken Breasts (I buy pre-marinated ones from Meridian Farm Market)
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 Tbsp. flour
- 4 cups milk
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 2 thick-cut pieces of pancetta rounds (about 1 inch each)
- 1 package (500g) of penne, fusilli, or other short noodles
- Drizzle of olive oil (optional)
Instructions:
- Place marinated chicken breasts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes until fully cooked
- Coat the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil
- Cook penne noodles to package instructions and then place in the prepared baking sheet
- Top penne with cooked chicken
- Start making the sauce. Begin by melting butter and garlic over medium heat in a large saucepan. Cook until the butter softens and garlic is fragrant
- Add half of the flour to the garlic butter mixture and stir until no lumps remain, add remaining flour and repeat
- Pour the milk in slowly (bit by bit) stirring the entire time until fully mixed and sauce begins to thicken
- Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and stir well to incorporate
- Add parmesan cheese and stir until melted
- Pour sauce over prepared penne & chicken in the baking dish
- Cut pancetta into chunks and saute over medium-high heat in a frying pan. The pancetta will be cooked when it becomes crispy and begins to curl at the corners
- Crumble pancetta on top of the pasta
- Top with additional parmesan cheese and bake until cheese has melted (approx 20 minutes)
- Serve family-style in a baking dish with serving spoon and allow guests to help themselves For some extra pop, drizzle truffle oil on top! Buon Appetit!
Kaylesha Penner