Rich, creamy and on the table in less than 45 minutes, this chicken stroganoff pasta bake is set to be a new family favourite.
Check ingredient labels to make sure they meet your specific dietary requirements and always consult a health professional before changing your diet. View dietary information here.
Percentage Daily Intake information on our recipes is calculated using the nutrition reference values for an average Australian adult.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Cook the pasta following packet directions or until al dente. Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add half the chicken and cook, turning, for 2-3 mins or until brown all over. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Heat the remaining oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 mins or until slightly soft. Increase heat to high and add mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 mins or until tender. Add the garlic, combined paprika, mustard and tomato paste. Cook, stirring, for 1 min or until aromatic. Add the wine and bring to the boil. Cook for 2 mins or until wine reduces by half. Add the stock and sour cream and stir to combine. Remove from heat. Stir in pasta and chicken. Transfer mixture to a 14-cup (3.5L) ovenproof dish and cover with foil.
Bake for 25 mins or until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with chives and parsley. Serve with steamed green beans.
Leftover herbs can be wrapped in damp paper towel or a clean tea towel and stored in the fridge.
COOK. STORE. SAVE.
Smart swap: We use penne, which is a member of the pasta group known as ‘short’ pasta. Other pastas in this group are rigatoni, macaroni, orecchiette and conchiglie (shell pasta). Short pasta is a great pantry staple, as it pairs well with quick-to-whip-up chunky sauces. Long pasta is better with smooth sauces.
Clever storage: This stroganoff bake freezes well. To get ahead, you can make the whole dish up to the end of step 2 and not bake. Instead, cover with a double layer of wrap and then foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Leftover, already cooked bake can also be frozen. Cool to room temperature and transfer portions to freezer bags. Remove the excess air from the bags and seal. Thaw in the fridge before reheating on the stove or in the microwave.
Use it up: Mustard is a great condiment to have in the fridge. Use it in dressings, or spread on your bread when making a ham and cheese toastie. Alternatively, add a dash to some whole egg mustard for homemade Dijonnaise, or creamy sauces to serve with steak.
With its thinly sliced meat and mushrooms simmered in a bold yet earthy cream sauce, stroganoff is a classic for a reason. For novice cooks (or multitaskers), a traditional beef stroganoff can have mixed results, since it requires vigilance to ensure the meat remains tender. Enter chicken stroganoff. Swapping beef strips for more forgiving chicken thigh fillets takes the pressure off the cook – and let’s face it, chicken loves the company of cream. Traditionally stroganoff is served with buttered noodles, but with this recipe, the noodles – or in this case, penne pasta – are stirred through the signature creamy stroganoff sauce and then baked while you get on with other things. Prep your chicken and mushroom sauce while the pasta cooks, then toss everything together and in the oven it goes.
Penne is our pasta of choice in this creamy chicken bake, as its texture holds up well even after being boiled and then baked. We also don’t shy away from flavour in this recipe either. Adding four cloves of garlic along with a generous tablespoon of Dijon mustard shows we mean business, and using both sweet and smoked paprika adds a double whammy of aromatic smoky capsicum flavour.
First remove the excess fat from the chicken thighs and make sure the oil is super-hot before you add them to the pan. Don’t be tempted to add the chicken all at once – overcrowding the pan drops the temperature, resulting in stewed rather than golden-fried chicken. After adding the wine, stir well with a wooden spoon, scraping the base of the pan to collect any bits of chicken that may be stuck there. This is known as the fond and is a flavour bomb for your sauce.
Sour cream is an essential ingredient in stroganoff pasta bake, but if added directly to a hot liquid, it can curdle. To prevent this, stir a little of the simmering wine and stock mixture into the sour cream before adding it to the sauce. Alternatively, use crème fraiche. Although a bit more expensive than sour cream, it has a higher fat content that prevents it from splitting when cooked.
Chicken thigh fillets work perfectly in a pasta bake like this, but you could also try beef mince like in this creamy pasta bolognese bake, or canned tuna in this tuna bake for a cost-effective option. Bacon and pasta always make good roommates in this honey mustard and bacon pasta bake, and you can choose your own adventure with this white sauce pasta bake by adding whatever you have in the fridge.