Ingredients

For the bake

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

For the sauce

• 50g butter
• 50g plain flour
• 750ml hot milk
• 75g Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Butter a shallow 1.75 litre ovenproof dish.
2. Cook the penne according to the packet instructions. Drain, refresh in cold water and leave to drain again in the colander.
3. Put the chicken strips in a resealable freezer bag with the paprika and a little salt and pepper, seal the bag and shake to coat.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan and quickly fry the chicken over a high heat for about 2 minutes until golden-brown and just cooked through. This may need to be done in batches. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the friend chicken to a plate and set aside.
5. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the flour and which together to form a roux. Cook for 1 minute, then gradually add the hot milk, whisking over a high heat until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Once thick, stir in 50g of the cheese and season with salt and pepper.
6. Add the pasta to the sauce in the pan and stir together. Spoon half this mixture into the dish, arrange the chicken strips over the top and spoon the remaining pasta and sauce on top of the chicken. Top with the remanining cheese. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until piping hot and golden-brown on top.