BAKED CHICKEN, LEEK AND BROCCOLI PASTA

Pasta prepared this way is one of the best I've tried in my life. I can't explain how good it is. Sure, u'll need to spend some time in the kitchen, but it's totally worth it. I guarantee you'll love it. I didn't need much time since my chicken and broccoli were a leftovers from the previous day. While pasta was baking, I washed all the used dishes and I totally lost about 1 hour in the kitchen. You'll probably need about 20 minutes plus for preparing the chicken and broccoli.

Ingredients:

• 2 pieces fried or baked chicken breast
• 450 g (1 lb) cooked pasta (I used macaroni)

For bechamel sauce

• 2 cups milk
• 2 tbs flour
• 3 tbs butter
• 1 cup grated gauda cheese
• a little salt and black pepper

For vegetable and chicken mix

• 2 leeks, cleaned and cut into thin slices sideways
• 1 diced carrot
• 1 cup broccoli cut into small flowers
• 4 tbs olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cloves crushed garlic

For topping

• 1/2 cups grated gauda cheese

Preparation:

Preparing the chicken

First, prepare your chicken breasts the usual way. Mine were cut in stripes and roasted in the oven. A little olive oil, vegetable seasoning and black pepper is what you need whether you fry or roast chicken. When ready, leave to cool, then chop in small bite pieces and set aside.

Preparing the veggies

Meanwhile, place your broccoli in a pot and just pour with boiling water and set aside. Then, in a large skillet set over medium heat add the remaining olive oil and garlic. Add the leeks and carrots and fry for about 10 minutes to soften. Remove from heat. Add the ready broccoli flowers and chicken cut in pieces. Add salt, pepper, vegetable seasoning to taste. Stir gently.

Preparing pasta

Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and set aside. Do not overcook!

Preparing bechamel sauce

In a medium saucepan,  melt butter and add flour and quickly stir. Continue to stir and fry flour at medium heat for 2-3 minutes, then, add the milk and continue to stir. Add the grated cheese and leave to cook until melted. You'll get a fine bechamel sauce with no lumps. Add salt and black pepper. Stir and remove from heat.

Final step

In the end, in an oiled 25 cm square baking dish, put pasta, add veggies with chicken and the bechamel sauce, stir gently, sprinkle the remaining cheese and bake for about 20-25 minutes until finely roasted. I baked at maximum temperature.

Tips: try preparing everything at the same time, that's how u'll save time.

You can use the same recipe to apply to potatoes, just change macaroni with sliced boiled potatoes.