Easy Chicken Pasta Bake (with hidden veggies)

You're going to love how easy it is to make this pasta bake for the family.

Not only is this bake quick and easy to prepare, it has a bonus...hidden veggies!

My 3 little (not so little these days) pickles are pretty good with eating their vegetables but I strongly believe there is always room for more. 

Growing kids need it. 

Big kids too.

A little while back, the sweet peeps from Vetta sent me some of their healthy pastas to try. The Vetta Super Veg Pasta - with hidden vegetables was the biggest hit so it has been on the grocery list every week since we first tasted it.

One serve of pasta (50g) has approximately one serve of vegetables in it. Peas and corn to be to be precise. And they are in a toddler friendly elbow shape...perfect for this recipe.

Easy Chicken Pasta Bake (with hidden veggies)

• I chopped up leftover roast chicken and vegetables from the night before but you could also use 1 chicken breast, sliced into bite sized pieces and pan fried.
• 1 pack of Vetta Super Veg Pasta
• 1 small brown onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon of your favourite cooking oil (I like to use organic coconut oil
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 400g can crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon orgegano
• salt and pepper to taste
• grated tasty cheese 

1. Cook pasta to packet directions, drain and set aside.
2. In a pan (or a casserole dish that can also be used on a cook top), heat oil and cook onions and garlic to soften.
3. Add chicken and leftover veggies (or cook raw chicken until browned and cooked through)
4. Add the tomatoes, oregano and seasonings.
5. At this stage you could also add a little water or stock if you like you pasta bake a little more saucy.
6. Mix drained pasta through the sauce and place in a baking dish (or you casserole dish)
7. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake in a moderate oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbling. 

I like to serve this straight for the casserole dish in the centre of the table with crusty bread and a green salad.

*Of course, you can use any old pasta for my easy chicken bake but you won't get those extra veggies in...not secretly anyway.

Tell me I'm not the only one who likes to announce to my kids at the dinner table what veggies they just ate without knowing?

mwahahaha....

Till next time.

Marnie x

Disclosure: This product was provided for editorial consideration.   3pickles has no affiliation with any companies mentioned and has received no remuneration for posting reviews. All opinions are my own.

{recipe} Sicilian Spaghetti

My Mum and Dad both made this pasta dish A LOT when I lived at home. Back then, I loathed pepper, but have grown to love this dish (and pepper too).
I didn't make this for Mr3P when we first met, in fact it was many years later. I can't be sure, but I think this recipe is the reason he married me.............
I don't know where this dish came from and even if it's a traditional Sicilian dish, but it's what we've always called it. Nice for a light lunch with salad and crusty bread or as an entree. By the way, if you don't like anchovies, then stop reading now. :)

Start by boiling a large pot of water for your pasta. then chop some fresh parsley. Add parsley to a small saucepan, then add about 1/4 cup of good olive oil.

To the saucepan, add 2 teaspoons of crushed garlic. I love fresh garlic, but didn't have any today, so it came out of a jar.

Drain off some of the oil from the jar first, then add a jar of anchovies  (about1/2 cup). 

Season with salt and some freshly cracked, black pepper. Slowly bring the oil and anchovy mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, or until heated through and garlic is fragrant. Be careful not to "fry" the anchovies. Break the anchovies up a bit with a wooden spoon.

Meanwhile, cook your pasta. The recipe says "spaghetti", but today I used linguine.

Drain the pasta and put it back in the pot and toss the anchovy sauce through the pasta. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan or Romana cheese and fresh crusty bread to sop up the leftover sauce.

linking up to:

http://www.sugarbeecrafts.com/