So Cheesy Baked Pasta with Chicken Tikka Inside – Recipe

I have never been to Italy, but as they say,

There’s nothing more romantic than Italian food.

My romance with Italian food started with Pizza and then grew fonder with Pasta & Bruchetta. Earlier I was of the opinion that cooking this food wasn’t my cup of tea & so used to eat from restaurants. But then one particular incident, where I was served cold lasagna for a whooping price attached to it; changed my opinion rather disheartened me so much that I decided to give cooking this cuisine a try.

Since then my love for Italian cuisine has been more like a king’s most beloved queen from the harem. This is why anytime and every-time, for an ultimate food romantic escapade, I resort to Italian food.

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Recently, I was fabulously surprised on receiving a packet full of Chifferi Rigati Pasta from Del Monte India. Here is my recipe of making this pasta with a Indian twist. It is a baked pasta with layers of  pasta, tomato sauce, chicken tikka, sauteed bell peppers and cheesy indulgence.

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Serves: 3
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes (excluding marination and cooking of Chicken Tikka)

The Pasta

Ingredients:
Del Monte Chifferi Rigati Pasta: 180 gms.
Water: 1/2 ltr.
Olive Oil: 2 Tbsp.
Salt: a pinch

Method:

• In the boiling water add the pasta and a pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 minutes on medium-high flame until al dente.

• Strain the pasta after which quickly drizzle olive oil on to the pasta to prevent them from sticking to each other.

Chicken Tikka

Ingredients:
Chicken Breast: 200 gms.
Hung Yogurt: 200 gms.
Spicy Red Chilli Powder: 2 Tsp.
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 Tsp.
Coriander Powder: 1 Tsp.
Black Pepper Powder: 1 Tsp.
Ginger-Garlic Paste: 1 Tbsp.
Chicken Tandoori Garam Masala: 1/2 Tbsp.
Oil : 1/2 Tbsp. (for Marination)
Oil heated with 1 tsp. red chilli powder for cooking: 2 Tbsp.
Salt to taste

 Method:

• Cut the chicken breast into small medium to small size pieces. Wash it thoroughly.

• In a separate bowl mix all the rest of the ingredients except chicken.

• Now add the chicken pieces. Massage the chicken into the yogurt mixture so that it mixes well with all thee spices.

• Leave the chicken in the mixture to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.

• I used microwave-oven for making Chicken Tikka. So in an aluminium tray (or any other tray fit for convection/grill mode), place a layer of aluminium foil on to it. Meanwhile, in the convection mode, preheat the oven at 220 degree Celsius.

• Now place the chicken pieces in the tray and drizzle over some oil heated with red chili powder to give extra color. Cook for about 30 minutes while checking at regular intervals. At halftime, turn the chicken pieces so that they are cooked from all sides.

• Chicken Tikka is ready.

Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
Tomato Puree: Of 4 medium tomatoes
Tomato: 2 medium, finely chopped
Onion: 2 medium, finely chopped
Garlic: Crushed 6-7 cloves of garlic
Sugar: 1 Tbsp.
Red Chili Flakes: 1 1/2 Tsp.
Italian five spice seasoning: 1 Tsp.
Black Pepper Powder: 1/2 Tsp.
Salt to taste
Olive Oil: 1 1/2 Tbsp.

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan and add crushed garlic to it. Now add onions, saute for 3-5 minutes or till onions turn translucent at medium heat.

• Further add tomatoes and the puree. Cook till oil starts leaving from the sides. Lastly add all the seasoning. Cook until the mix has medium consistency. The sauce is ready.

Sauteed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:
Red, Yellow & Green Bell Peppers: 1/4th of each chopped
Olive Oil: 1 Tbsp.
Salt to taste

Method:

• In a pan add olive oil and once it is heated add all bell peppers. Add salt and cook on high flame for a minute. The peppers are done.

Pasta Layering

Ingredients:
Cooked Pasta
Tomato Sauce
Sauteed Bell Peppers
Chicken Tikka Pieces
Cheese Slices: 5 No.
Mozzarella Cheese: 100 gms. (Grated)
Salt to taste
Italian Five Spice Seasoning: 1 tsp.
Red Chili Flakes: 1 tsp. (optional)
Black Pepper Powder: 1 tsp.
Olive Oil: 1 Tbsp.

Method:

Grease baking rectangular dish that has depth (I took Borosil 1.2 dish for the same.) with olive oil, even on the sides of the dish. Meanwhile preheat the oven at 210 degrees Celsius. Now in the dish add half of cooked pasta as a layer.

Next add a liberal layer of tomato sauce on it.

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Then a layer of sauteed bell peppers. Season the bell pepper layer with black pepper powder and Italian seasoning according to taste.

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Now add 3 cheese slices and then half of the mozzarella cheese on it.

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Next shred the chicken pieces into smaller chunks and then spread a liberal layer of it onto it.

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Onto the chicken layer add another layer of pasta and then two cheese slices.

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The final and the top layer of the pasta is going to be most fabulous mozzarella cheese. Lastly for additional flavor add Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper powder and chili flakes on it.

Keep the pasta dish in the oven on low rack for about 15 minutes or until the top cheese layer starts to become golden-brown in color and lightly crisp.

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The pasta is ready, wait for at least 10 minutes before serving.

For serving: Run a knife along the entire side of the Borosil dish. This helps in taking out pasta neatly. Now cut a square slice of the baked pasta and serve it by garnishing it with parsley. On the sides you can keep tomato sauce and seasoning.

Enjoy!