This is one of my favourite comfort meals that my family and I could eat almost every day! I like to batch cook and freeze this recipe, to have a tasty and healthy option to hand as a quick mid-week meal.
This recipe is from my Freezer Meal e-book packed full of advice on how to get the most out of your freezer. From top tips on freezing food, how to do it safely and over 30 recipes for you to batch cook and freeze them.
Enjoy this meal on-the-go or as a school lunch in one of our Food Flasks
Makes: 4 x Adult Portions
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
3 boneless chicken breasts, cubed
350g (12 ½ oz) dried macaroni or penne
1 head of broccoli, chopped into florets
250ml (1 cup) milk
200g (2 cups) grated Cheddar cheese
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp dried parsley
Salt* and pepper, to taste
*Omit salt for baby
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (355°F).
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat, and add the olive oil and cubed chicken.
- Fry until golden brown and cooked through about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water.
- Add the pasta and broccoli and simmer for about 8 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
- Drain the pasta and broccoli and set aside.
- To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the flour until it forms a paste.
- Gradually whisk in the milk, ensuring you are not left with any lumps of flour.
- Bring the mixture to the boil, remove from the heat and stir in half of the cheese to create a thick sauce.
- To the pasta and broccoli mix, add the cooked chicken, cheese sauce, dried parsley and salt and pepper, if using, and stir to combine.
- Spoon the mixture into a large oven proof dish, and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
- Place in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until brown and crispy on top.
To Freeze:
Before placing in the oven, allow to cool completely and freeze. Remove from the freezer and allow to thaw in the refrigerator. Heat through in the oven for about 15-20 minutes.
For Baby 6 months+
Offer as is and let baby self-feed.
For more tasty freezer-friendly meals, check out our Freezer Meals E-Book
At Mummy Cooks, we have a wealth of advice on feeding your family. We cover everything from meal prep and slow cooker recipes to moving baby on to family foods and preparing food safely. So whether you're looking for quick and easy meal ideas or want to learn more about healthy eating, we've got you covered - Feeding the Family Advice page
