A pasta bake is a great staple meal for Slimming World members, and I’ve previously shared a few on the blog. This one doesn’t create a lot of washing up as there is no pre-cooking on the hob, of anything other than the pasta. It’s basically a “throw it all in, and sit back and wait” type of dish! I’ve used dried breadcrumbs to top this one instead of cheese; they just add an extra bit of crunch. Though you could top with cheese too if you like, using your healthy extra or synning it. You can also prepare your own pasta at home in your best veggie pasta maker as it’s healthier and more nutritious than shop bought pasta.

Ingredients (serves 2-3, 0.5 syn per serving)

• 300 g diced chicken
• half a large head of broccoli (or one small head), florets chopped into roughly 2cm pieces
• 1 large shallot, finely sliced
• garlic Fry Light
• 500 g passata
• 200 g pasta shapes
• mixed herbs
• salt & pepper
• 5 g dried breadcrumbs (1 syn)

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Method

• Preheat oven to gas 6/200c/400f, and boil a pan of water for the pasta.
• In a large deep baking dish, add the chicken, broccoli, and shallots, spray with Fry Light and season with salt & pepper. Give them a good mix or shake to coat with the Fry Light.
• Put in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and the broccoli is tender.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to packet instructions, then drain, rinse, and set aside.
• Once the chicken is cooked, add the pasta, passata, and mixed herbs, and mix well. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top. Pop back in the oven until the passata is heated through and the breadcrumbs are crunchy.
• Serve with a speedy salad, or you could even use some syns for a cheeky slice of garlic bread…
• Enjoy!