This chicken Kiev pasta bake is a dinner picky kids look forward to

We all know the whines and whinges that can come with sitting at the dinner table. If a meal isn’t the Goldilocks level of ‘just right’, then it’s hard to make sure everyone enjoys dinner. This chicken Kiev pasta bake ticks all the right boxes – not only peak comfort food with creamy, buttery heartiness, but it’s also got fibre and protein to round it out.

Top this pasta bake with a sprinkle of sourdough to serve, and you’ve got a dish that will be instantly devoured and a must-add to your weekly meal rotation.

Ingredients

375g dried curls (or fusilli) pasta

500g chicken breast fillet, cut into 1cm thick slices

1 teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 brown onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons plain flour

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups thickened cream

1/2 cup milk

2/3 cup finely grated parmesan, plus extra to serve

60g baby spinach

2 cups chunky sourdough crumbs

Garlic parsley butter

80g butter, softened

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus sprigs to serve

Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season

Method

Step 1

Make garlic parsley butter by mixing all ingredients in a small bowl.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 190°C/170°C fan-forced. Cook the pasta following packet directions until almost tender. Drain well.

Step 3

Meanwhile, toss the chicken with the paprika and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large heavy-based flameproof baking dish on medium-high heat. Cook the chicken, in batches, until browned all over and just cooked through. Transfer to a bowl.

Step 4

Heat remaining 1  tablespoon oil in the baking dish on medium heat. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and thyme. Cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add flour. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in wine. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is bubbling. Gradually stir in the cream and milk. Season. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until thickened slightly. Remove from heat.

Step 5

Add cooked pasta, chicken, parmesan and spinach to the baking dish. Toss to combine.

Step 6

Toss breadcrumbs with half the garlic butter until well coated. Sprinkle over the pasta mixture. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Step 7

Place remaining garlic butter in a heatproof bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%) for 15–20 seconds or until melted. Serve pasta bake drizzled with remaining garlic butter and scattered with extra parsley.

chicken kiev pasta bake in tray with dark blue background — *(Photography: Tim Roberts, Styling: Michele Cranston)*

What is a traditional chicken Kiev?

A traditional chicken Kiev is a thinly sliced and pounded piece of chicken that is crumbed and filled with cold garlic herb butter. It is then shallow-fried until cooked through.

Senior food editor Sarah Murphy Senior food editor

Sarah Murphy is a Senior Food Editor who has worked across leading Australian food magazines since 2010. She holds a Bachelor of Communications (Advertising and Public Relations) and has contributed to magazines including delicious., The Australian Women’s Weekly Food, Super Food Ideas and Woman’s Day. Sarah has also worked across multiple cookbooks for delicious. magazine and The Australian Women’s Weekly Cookbooks. Currently, Sarah is the Senior Food Editor for Better Homes and Gardens Magazine and oversees all food content, creating and developing achievable recipes for readers that still excite and impress.

Recipe Developer Kim Coverdale Recipe Developer

Kim Coverdale is a recipe developer and food writer with more than 25 years of experience in Australian food publishing. Trained at the Australian Women's Weekly Test Kitchen — one of Australia's most trusted homes of recipe development — Kim has spent her career creating, testing, and perfecting recipes for some of the country's leading food titles. Every recipe she develops is rigorously tested to ensure it works reliably in home kitchens, not just professional ones.

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