Comfort
Spiced Chicken & Macaroni Bake
A tray of this bake going into the oven fills the house with the kind of warm, spiced smell that makes everyone gather in the kitchen. Cibo di Italia Macaroni is layered with tender spiced chicken, a robust tomato sauce and a blanket of melted cheese — then baked until bubbling. Make it ahead on a busy Ramadan evening and reheat just before iftar.
Ingredients
- 400 g Cibo di Italia Macaroni
- 600 g boneless chicken thighs — cut into 3cm pieces
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 piece large onion — finely chopped
- 4 pieces garlic cloves — minced
- 1.5 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 400 g passata or crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 200 ml chicken stock or water
- to taste salt and black pepper
- 150 g mozzarella — grated
- 80 g mature cheddar — grated
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley — chopped, to serve
Method
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Step 1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (fan 180 °C). Cook the macaroni in plenty of well-salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the packet says — it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.
7 min
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Step 2. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large ovenproof casserole or deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper and half the spice mix. Sear in a single layer for 4–5 minutes until golden, then turn and cook 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
8 min
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Step 3. In the same pan over medium heat, add the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Cook the onion, stirring, for 6 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and remaining spices and stir for 1 minute.
7 min
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Step 4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the passata and stock. Season well and bring to a gentle simmer for 8 minutes until slightly thickened.
10 min
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Step 5. Return the chicken and any resting juices to the sauce. Fold in the par-cooked macaroni and stir gently so everything is combined.
1 min
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Step 6. Transfer to a large baking dish (or leave in the casserole if ovenproof). Scatter the mozzarella and cheddar evenly over the top.
2 min
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Step 7. Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden at the edges. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
25 min
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Step 8. Scatter with fresh parsley and bring the dish straight to the table. Serve with a simple salad on the side.
Goes well with
Tamarind lemonade — the tartness cuts through the richness of the cheese and spiced chicken beautifully.
Chopped salad of cucumber, tomato, red onion and fresh mint with a lemon-olive oil dressing.
Dates stuffed with almond paste — a light, traditional sweet to finish after a hearty main.
Nutrition
Scaled to your servings
- 640kcalCalories32%
- 62gCarbohydrate24%
- 38gProtein76%
- 24gFat34%
The pasta we used
Cibo di Italia Macaroni
500g · Cooks in 8–10 minutes · Serves ~5
See where to buy
