So easy and so satisfying, chicken and leek pasta bake is one of those classic comfort foods that’ll please all the family. This one never goes out of fashion.
Perfect to warm your soul in the colder months, this recipe is not your average pasta bake. It’s packed full of flavour, with a few cooking tricks to make your taste buds tingle.
So, you want to know how to make this quick and easy pasta recipe? Read on!
Products you need for this recipe
- Saucepan – the first thing you’ll do is make your sauces
- Frying pan – a quality non-stick frying pan is a must for this recipe
- Baking dish – a decent sized baking dish is essential for the last part of this chicken and leek pasta bake recipe
- Large mixing bowl – you’ll need a large bowl to mix together the chicken, pasta, leeks and sauce, before placing in your baking dish
- Mixing spoon – a quality mixing spoon is an essential kitchen item for any cook
- Whisk – you’ll need to whisk together the milk, flour and butter to cook the bechamel sauce
- Plain flour – get some good quality plain flour. It’s the base for your pasta bake sauce, so go for the best you can find
- Macaroni – for me, macaroni is the best kind of pasta for a chicken and leek pasta bake
- White wine – the wine adds a nice touch to the pasta casserole, lightening it up a bit in a good way
- Panko bread crumbs – breadcrumbs are the perfect way to add a little bit of crunch to the top of your chicken and leek pasta bake. Go for panko crumbs, for that extra special taste and texture
- Parmesan – if you can’t get grated, get yourself a parmesan grater. When topped with a sprinkle of parmesan, this dish will be extra delicious
Chicken and leek pasta bake recipe
If you’re looking for a simple, sumptuous supper with hardly any prep time, this is the one for you.
The total cook time is 1 hour and it’s so easy! First you make your sauce by softening the leeks in butter then simmering it with wine, stock and cream.
While you’re cooking the leeks, you need to cook the pasta in boiling salted water. When the pasta is cooked and the sauce ready, tip in the pasta and chicken, give it all a good mix, then spoon into a baking dish.
The final flourish is a sprinkle of breadcrumbs and cheese, for a golden brown crunch. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes at 200°C/fan 180°C/400°F/gas 6. Cooking doesn’t get much simpler!
What’s the best cheese to use in a pasta bake?
To bring an extra richness to this dish, you’ll need a cheese that’s full of flavour. It’s also very important that you use a cheese that melts well.
You could use cheddar cheese, especially an extra mature type. Godminster Cheddar and Snowdonia Little Black Bomber are both intense, beautifully flavoured cheddars.
For me though, it’s parmesan all the way. The deep, fruitlike, nutty flavour is tailor-made for this dish, as the flavours sit in harmony with the chicken, leek and pasta. Get authentic Parmigiano Reggiano – you won’t be disappointed.
Do you add cooked chicken to a pasta bake?
Yes, this recipe calls for the chicken to be cooked beforehand. To cook, dice 500g of skinless chicken breasts into bitesize pieces. Then, add a tablespoon of olive oil to a frying pan and fry the diced chicken breasts on a medium heat for 12-15 minutes, until lightly brown on the outside.
When it’s cooked, add the chicken to a mixing bowl with the sauce, as well as the cooked leeks and cooked pasta.
What other ingredients can I use in this recipe?
This recipe already tastes absolutely fantastic. Still, it’s very flexible and there’s a lot you can add that can elevate the taste even further.
A few drops of Worcestershire sauce is one way to get a whole lot more flavour. If you haven’t got any of this magical ingredient, there are plenty of alternatives to Worcestershire sauce.
You could also add a teaspoon or two of mustard, which really works well with the flavours in this recipe – especially the chicken, the leek and the cheese.
The addition of ham or bacon also works beautifully.
What do you serve with chicken and leek pasta?
The best thing to serve with this dish is a healthy, crisp green salad. The crisp freshness makes for a good balance for the big, hearty creaminess of the chicken and leek pasta.
Here are a few greedy gourmet favourites, to give you a little inspiration:
Mediterranean salad – made with traditional ingredients such as extra virgin olive oil, red onion, feta cheese, black olives and cucumber, this is one easy to make, utterly amazing salad!
Rocket salad with avocado, blue cheese and pecans – this peppery, nutty salad has a whole load of flavour and would be the perfect complement to this chicken and leek pasta bake
Pear and rocket salad – the pear brings a little fruity element, working perfectly with the leek, and the rocket adds a peppery freshness
Pumpkin and beetroot salad – they don’t come much fresher, healthier or downright tastier than this easy, wonderful salad
GIVEAWAY
This week one winner will receive one bottle of Aloha 65!
With its sweet and warming botanicals of pineapple, ginger and chilli at its heart, Spirit of Aloha 65 is the perfect winter tipple and hits the spot on a cosy evening in front of the fire served just on its own over ice, or instead of a gin and tonic as a long drink mixed with ginger ale or a seasonal tonic like Fever Tree’s Clementine tonic water.
The Aloha Mac, a modern twist on the classic, Aloha 65 and Stone’s ginger wine also works a treat, but for the more adventurous who want to go a bit off piste, why not try making an Aloha Old Fashioned with Aloha 65 instead of half of the Bourbon or something really Christmassy, like the Aloha Velvet with Aloha 65, brandy, orange and lemon juice, sugar syrup and egg yolk.
Finally, if you’re up for some mulling, surprise your friends and family by whacking some Aloha 65 in either red wine, cider or cloudy apple juice together with some cinnamon, star anise and cloves – job done.
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Competition Question: What is your favourite pasta bake?
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Chicken and Leek Pasta Bake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This Chicken and Leek Pasta Bake is a quick and easy family dinner with a lot of flair, thanks to the white wine and cream. Serve with crispy, green salad.
Ingredients
- 300g (10½ oz) macaroni
- 30g (2 tbsp) butter
- 2 leeks, cleaned and sliced
- 250ml (1 cup) white wine
- 250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
- 250ml (1 cup) single cream
- 500g (1lb 2oz) cooked chicken, skinned and cut into bite-size pieces
- 40g (1½oz) panko
- 40g (1½ oz) Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / fan 160°C / 355°F / gas mark 4.
- Cook macaroni in boiling salted water according to packet instructions, then drain.
- While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large frying pan.
- Gently cook the leeks over a medium heat until softened, which would take about 5 minutes.
- Turn up the heat and pour in the wine. Let it sizzle until the liquid has reduced by half.
- Pour in the stock, stir and let it bubble for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the cream, stir and let it bubble for another 5 minutes.
- Tip in the chicken and pasta and stir until everything is covered with sauce.
- Spoon the mixture into a shallow ovenproof dish. Mix together breadcrumbs and Parmesan and sprinkle over the top.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden and crusty on top.
- Serve with a green salad and a glass of white wine. Enjoy!
Notes
- The 2 leeks I used weighed around 600g (1½lbs).
- Use any type of pasta you have available or that you fancy.
- Experiment with or vary the chicken, pasta, leek and sauce ratios. It is very difficult not to get a delicious result!
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: chicken and leek pasta bake, rotisserie chicken recipe, pasta casserole recipes, one pot meal, family friendly chicken meal, chicken pasta bake
The Duo Dishes
It’s easy to makeover a dish in a flash. Or make up one, rather, when half of the meal’s already prepared. Lovely!
Pragya
Wow! Wow! Wow! I have to get off my diet for this one! Thanks for the great recipe as always.
TheWoman
What a great upgrade for tired old mac & cheese. Will be bookmarking this one – TheHusband is a big chicken fan!
Sasha @ The Procrastobaker
I ADORE leeks and we currently have some growing in our veggie garden, will be giving this recipe a whirl for sure! It sounds deeeeelish and oh so easy!
Renil M. George
What great recipes and photography! Thanks for sharing them and I look forward to reading more.
★★★★★
Jouliage Cream Review
I don’t usually comment but I gotta say thanks for the post on this one :D.
michelle
🙂 🙂 ur welcome
Naziah Mashni
Excellent! I adore pasta bakes
★★★★★
Sahara Rahad
thank you for sharing
Jo m welsh
As a family we love tuna and sweet corn and red pepper .
thecatwhisper
cheese, bacon and pasta for me
Margaret Gallagher
Tuna pasta bake is a family favourite
★★★★★
Sharon Arnott
My favourite is tuna pasta bake
Sam
i love a cheesy pasta bake
Iain maciver
tuna pasta bake
★★★★★
ruth robinson
i really enjoy a tuna pasta bake with either cheese on top or a cheesey crumb i add veg into it to make it even healthier
Alice Gilkes
I love chicken and leak pasta bakes.
Alice Dixon
Creamy ham and pea
Emma Wolski
My favourite currently is spinach and ricotta filled pasta with pesto sauce, prawns, chorizo, mushrooms and peppers!
Lorraine Williams
We do a chicken, bacon, leek and mushroom pasta bake which is delicious. Perfect with a slice of garlic bread.
Ruth Harwood
A good carbonara pasta bake, or simple cheese pasta bake are so tasty!!
★★★★★
Charlotte isobelle
Mmm sounds delicious, I might try this one!
Julie Kenny
Chicken And Leek Pasta Bake is lovely a firm family favourite here x Will be trying your recipe in the new year x
Amandeep Sibia
Anything with a bit of spicy chicken.
Jan
Tuna pasta bake but this one looks good
★★★★★
Annabel Greaves
I love a cheese pasta bake
Joo Dee
tbh never tried one, yet!! but some great ideas here
cat
I adore my vegetarian lasagne, layers of spinach butternut squash and ricotta
Moth
Tuna with cheesy crumb top
Stella H
My favourite is tuna pasta bake
Margaret Clarkson
I like penne with cheese and bacon or penne with cheese and sweetcorn.
★★★★★
Susan B
I probably cook tomato and courgette more often than any other variety.
Hannah Lord
I love a freshly baked lasagna
Chloe F
chicken and bacon
melanie stirling
I love Quorn ragu pasta bake topped with cheddar cheese.
Helen Markham
Oooh my favourite pasta bake is spinach and ricotta yum! This recipe is so delicious too
★★★★★
Angela Kelly
I love a chicken pasta bake made with chicken soup and tons of cheese on top.
Daniel Stacey
Chicken And Leek Pasta Bake
Sheena Batey
Tuna Pasta Bake
Tammy Tudor
Tuna and cheese pasta bake is my favourite, but this recipe looks really yummy
★★★★★
Rena Plumridge
Tuna pasta bake
Phil Read
Always loved leeks so chicken and leek w
Karen R
My favourite is one that my daughter bakes – it’s very simple, but she can cook it without any input from me, so I get a night off 🙂
Tina Lawton
You can’t go wrong with a simple tuna and sweetcorn pasta bake.
claire woods
I love cheesy pasta bake
Laura Wheatley
I love a nice tomato and marscapone pasta bake
Marie Rungapadiachy
I love a pasta bake with steak, mushroom, tomato sauce and with a cheese topping.
Carly Belsey
I love a cheese and broccoli pasta bake. This recipe looks delicious.
Kate Sutton
I really like tuna pasta bake
Carolyn E
Salmon and leek in a creamy cheesy sauce. Not too different from this recipe actually !
★★★★★
Kim M
I like Cannelloni x
pete c
Home-Made Lasagna with lean beef would be my favourite
lynn neal
Mushroom and spinach pasta bake is my favourite!
★★★★★
Robin Horn
I love one dish dinners! Ty!
Kim Carberry
We love sausage, tomato and pasta bake x
Adrian Bold
I like a good tuna pasta bake.
Maria
I love pasta bake with bacon
Rennene Hartland
Chicken and mushroom pasta bake
Iris
I love all sorts of pasta bakes but one of my favorites is creamy tomato and bacon
★★★★★
Samantha M
I made one recently with broccoli, leak and cherry tomatoes which was delicious.
Mr Mark Adamson
I used to make pasta bakes all the time at university but haven’t for years and years. I’m not going to try this tomorrow
Michelle Smith
I love tuna and sweet corn pasta bake
Michelle Smith
I love tuna and sweet corn pasta bake
Valerie Seal
Vegetarian for me – with lots of aubergines and onions.
Chelsey Hollings
We love spicy Chicken and Chorizo pasta bake
Helen Arlow
I love tuna pasta bake… The cherries the better x
Helen Arlow
*cheesier*
Noelie
I love tuna pasta bake
Noelie
I love tuna pasta bake and lasagna 🙂
Rebecca King
I love chicken and broccoli pasta 😋
Dale Dow
Creamy tomato and bacon
Caroline Tinsley
I make one with wholewheat fusilli, roasted Mediterranean veg and chick peas, topped with white sauce and cheese. I make enough to eat the leftovers for lunch the next day 😋
Alison Rees
A tuna pasta bake is my favourite
Carole Nott
The chicken pasta bake looks delicious. This is one of my favourites
★★★★★
Lucy
My favourite is tuna pasta bake – simple and easy but nice!
Janet Robertson
Pasta with cheese and ham sause topped with grated cheese
Anthea Holloway
I love homemade Lasagna and so does my family!
Kelly Roxanne Smith
I love tuna pasta bake x
bet ferguson
our family enjoy cheesy pasta bakes with garlic bread and green salad
Lewis clark
Creamy Garlic chicken pasta bake
Amy Jo
I love a tomato, spinach, chicken and cheese pasta bake!
Sophie Marie Cartwright
The more cheese the better! I also love putting bacon into my pasta dishes, and sausages!
Jess McGuire
Cheese is my favourite!
Fay Burman
My favourite pasta bake is made with tomato and soya mince, and lots of sheese on top! I also like making tuna pasta bake for my dad 🙂
Tony
Love a tuna and sweetcorn pasta bake
Angie Jackson
love mac and cheese with a crispy crumb topping, delicious!
Rebecca Walker
tuna pasta bake
Mark Mccaffery
Chicken and Chorizo pasta bake.
Margaret Mccaffery
My favourite is a Tuna pasta bake.
Robyn Clarke
My husband does a macaroni bake but he includes mince, its delicious.
James Travis
I like Tuna Pasta Bake
★★★★
Patricia Barrett
Pesto salmon pasta bake
P Baver
I like lasagna best .
Emily walker
We love Tuna Arrabiata
Teresa Adams
Homemade Lasagne is my family’s favourite. I like the look of the chicken and leek pasta bake so will give that a try one night
Laura Green
sausage pasta bake!
joanne coulson
My family love my spicy chicken pasta bake
Anne Plumb
Tuna (and sweetcorn) pasta bake
Claire Driver
Hopefully Mac and cheese counts yummy
Sammi McSporran
Tuna pasta bake is definitely my favourite!
Cindy Gillespie
Salmon spaghetti is our favourite. Simple – just salmon, spaghetti, garlic and parmesan with loads of pepper
Jeanette Swift
I like a cheese and bacon pasta bake, quick easy but tasty
Christine Hobbs
I love salmon in a pasta bake. Garlic asparagus with a cream mustard sauce
Keith Hunt
Tuna & broccoli pasta bake
JAMES HOLYLAND
The classic tuna pasta bake !
Cara
Spicy chorizo pasta bake
SUSAN L HALL
I love a lighter sauce mix and one with an egg yolk olive oil and lemon with fresh basil hits the spot for me over spaghetti or tagliatelle
Amy Bondoc
I love chicken and leak pasta bake
Laura Pritchard
Tuna pasta bake with sweetcorn
★★★
Sheri Darby
I love a ratatouille style pasta bake
Charlotte F
Chicken and chorizo is my favourite, with lots of cheese!
Ellen Stafford
I love cheese and broccoli
Gemma Holland
Hot smoked salmon
Fiona Foskett
Tuna Pasta Bake with added broccoli
Debra Walker
Chicken & Cheese
Mandy Betts
Tuna pasta bake. I used to crunch up ready salted crisps to go with the cheese on top. Delicious!
Jenny Barker
its a take on Tartiflette with pasta added any that i have in the house
Emma Davison
Cheese and tomato with pieces of slices tomato, pepperoni and mozzarella on top
sue cornish
pesto salmon bake
Leslie Evans
Tuna Pasta Bake
Sarah Mcknight
Tuna pasta bake is my favorite.
Stephanie
Sweet corn and pasta bake
Carolynn Woodland
Chicken with mustard and leeks
Megan
My favourite is a vegan pasta bake.
jules S eley
Vegetable pasta bake is my favourite!
Eva Trelfa-Milek
I really like chicken and bacon pasta bake
Amanda Gregory
This isn’t going to be a popular answer but I don’t like pasta. When I do cook pasta bakes for the family I usually do a creamy tuna pasta bake.
Jennifer Toal
Cheese and bacon
Julie Camm
I love chicken with peppers in a pasta bake
Peter Nickson
Chicken and broccoli bake
Jeanette Leighton
Ooooopps didn’t rate recipe …. looks delicious I love tuna and cheese pasta bakes best
★★★★★
Gemma Massey
I love chicken pasta beak with pasta, peppers and onions and lots of cheese on the top
Gemma Linney
I love lots of veggies (whatever I’ve got to use up but I always have red onion and peppers as a base), with some balsamic vinegar and ricotta. It’s delicious!
Deborah Preston
Chicken, bacon and broccoli pasta bake is tasty
Faridah Brooker
My fave is good old macaroni cheese (I can’t stand the phrase mac n cheese). I’ve eaten it since childhood and still love it.
Amanda S
Tuna, olive and sundried tomato
Kellie Collister
I do one with chicken, peppers and feta
Stef Acaster
I love pasta bakes and one of my favourites is with chicken and chorizo
Sheena Read
Tuna Pasta Bake
sharon martin
chicken & bacon
Nil Brit
I like chicken and tuna pasta bake.
laura nice
I don’t think you can beat a home made lasagna!
Kallie Maile
Tuna pasta bake
Amanda Botterill
I love Chicken and Chorizo pasta bake
★★★★★
Janine H
Pancetta and mushroom cheesy bake
Lyndsey Welch
This looks lovely
Rachel b
Love a chicken and chorizo pasta bake
Emma England
My favourite go to recipe would be a lasagna but the chicken and leek bake sounds amazing. Definitely going to give it a go.
Bethie Farquharson
In the past I would have said a macaroni cottage cheese was my favourite pasta bake but this one has won me over!
★★★★★
Kay Broomfield
I love a cheese and tomato pasta bake with basil.
Heli L
My whole family loves a creamy tomato & chicken pasta bake. Yummy!
Andrew Collier
Veggie Pasta Bake
Joyce W
Tuna pasta bake is one of our favourites when we are having a meat free day
★★★★★
Carol Cliffe
I’ve always gone for a tuna pasta bake but this one looks delicious
Lisa MITCHELL
sounds amazing x