You’ll love this creamy chicken pasta bake – the seared chicken thighs are what makes it!
When I was at ALDI last week doing my grocery shopping, I picked up a package of fettuccine nests in the pasta section. They were perfect for shrimp pasta the kids and I had the other evening!
Then, last night I decided to use them for a casserole I was throwing together, after originally considering broken up pieces of spaghetti. This particular fettuccine has sort of an “egg noodle” bite to it, which definitely lends itself to being a perfect casserole base: smooth and velvety, but still with a bit of tooth to it.
This one, my friends, is grown-up AND kid approved.
- 6 ounces dry fettuccine
- ½ cup shredded white cheddar cheese
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup whole milk
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 2-quart casserole dish with butter or olive oil. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until just before al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.
- Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet, then warm it over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry, and then sprinkle the thighs on both sides with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Place the thighs into the hot skillet and let them cook for 5 minutes. Flip the thighs, and continue cooking them for another 4 minutes. Remove them to a plate to rest. Pour the remaining oil and bits into a medium sauce pot.
- Slice the chicken into bite sized pieces.
- Add ¼ cup of olive oil to the medium sauce pot (with the leftover bits from the chicken), and warm it over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, pepper, garlic pepper, and dried parsley, and continue cooking until the onion starts to become translucent. Add the garlic, cook for one minute longer, then increase the heat to medium-high.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup flour over the onion mixture, and then whisk it until turns into creamy paste. Let it cook for a minute, then pour the chicken stock and milk into the sauce pan all at once. Whisk the sauce off and on until it starts to thicken and come to a boil, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the cooked pasta to the thickened sauce, making sure it's coated completely. Toss in the chicken pieces. Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared casserole dish, and then top with the shredded cheese. Bake it uncovered for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melty and the the edges are bubbly. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
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