Mary Berry's comforting chicken pasta bake so good people 'make it again and again'

For those itching for crisp breezes and golden-hued foliage, a weeknight pasta bake is one way to channel the cooler seasons. Before we know it, we will be reaching for hearty recipes like roast dinners and belly-filling pastas as summer's heatwaves die down.

And who better to turn to for a simple, satisfying recipe than the legendary Mary Berry? The cooking icon's chicken pasta bake promises to be "wonderfully comforting". Featured in Mary Berry's Absolute Favourites, this dish combines penne pasta, a velvety sauce and chicken breast with under half an hour of preparation time.

One fan of the recipe is food blogger Daniela of My Gorgeous Recipes. She says the pasta ticks all the boxes, explaining: "Even fussy kids will love this casserole that sums up what comfort food is all about."

Reminscing about how easy dinner was to throw together before kids, she added: "With kids, it doesn't quite work like that, and they needs a wide range of dishes for a healthy growth. And this recipe is everything I ever needed. It's got carbs, veggies and protein, all in one delicious dish."

That's not to say adults don't love the pasta recipe too, she added: "Making it is so easy, you will find yourself cooking this dish again and again. And it's not a big hit with kids only, but also with grown ups."

It's also gone down well on BBC Food where the recipe has a 4.1 star rating from 160 reviews. The website says: "A wonderfully comforting chicken pasta bake, this can be made ahead and will go down really well with the family."

Serving six to eight people, it takes under half an hour to prepare and 30 minutes to an hour to cook.

Mary Berry's chicken pasta bake

Ingredients

• Butter, for greasing
• 250g penne
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips roughly the size of your little finger
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce

• 50g butter
• 50g plain flour
• 750ml hot milk (see tip)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 100g Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated
• 2 large tomatoes, deseeded and cut into small cubes

Method

Heat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.

Grease a shallow 1.75 litre/3 pint ovenproof dish with butter.

Boil the penne alongside the onion in salted water following packet directions.

Drain, rinse with cold water and leave to drain thoroughly in the colander.

Place the chicken strips into a sealable freezer bag with the paprika plus a pinch of salt and pepper, seal and shake until well coated.

Warm 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan and quickly cook the chicken over high heat for approximately two minutes until golden and just cooked through (this may require cooking in batches).

Using a slotted spoon, move the cooked chicken to a plate and set to one side. To prepare the sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan, then add the flour and whisk together to create a roux.

Cook for one minute, then slowly pour in the hot milk, whisking continuously over high heat until the sauce is smooth and thickened, then let it boil for four minutes. Mix in the mustard and half of the cheese, seasoning with salt and pepper.

Combine the pasta and onion with the sauce in the pan. Spoon half of this mixture into the dish, layer the chicken strips on top, then spoon the remaining pasta and sauce over the chicken.

Sprinkle the tomatoes on top, followed by the remaining cheese. Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes until it's piping hot and golden-brown on top.