Family Shawarma Pasta Bake

Creamy pasta bake with shawarma-spiced chicken, peppers and a golden cheese topping.

Jump to ingredients | Jump to method

Middle Eastern shawarma spices give a familiar family pasta bake a fragrant cumin, coriander and paprika backbone.

Ingredients

• 400 g penne
• 600 g boneless chicken thighs, diced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp paprika
• 0.5 tsp turmeric
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 500 ml tomato passata
• 150 ml cream
• 200 g mozzarella, grated
• 1 tbsp oil

Step-by-step method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C conventional or 180°C fan and cook the penne in salted water for 2 minutes less than the packet time.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan, add chicken and cook for 5 minutes until lightly browned.
3. Add onion and pepper and cook for 4 minutes, then add garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika and turmeric and stir for 30 seconds.
4. Pour in passata and simmer for 5 minutes; add cream and stir until the sauce is evenly coloured.
5. Drain the pasta, fold it into the chicken sauce and transfer everything to a baking dish.
6. Scatter mozzarella over the top and bake for 18–20 minutes until bubbling and golden; ensure the chicken is fully cooked to at least 74°C.
7. Rest for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce settles around the pasta.