Ingredients:
- 1 lb (450g) Pasta (wide egg noodles, penne, or rigatoni)
- 5 lbs (680g) Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 Tbsp Unsalted butter (60g)
- 1 large Yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 medium Carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 Celery stalks, diced
- 1 cup Frozen peas (about 150g)
- 1/3 cup All-purpose flour (40g)
- 3 cups Chicken stock (low sodium preferred)
- 1 cup Heavy cream (240ml)
- 1 tsp Dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp Dried rosemary (crushed slightly)
- 2 Tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs (or standard breadcrumbs)
- 2 Tbsp Melted butter
- 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Season chicken cubes. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Brown chicken in batches; remove and set aside, leaving rendered fat in the pan.
- Add the butter to the skillet. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery until softened (about 6–8 minutes).
- Sprinkle the flour over the sautéed vegetables. Stir constantly and cook for 1 minute to form a roux.
- Gradually whisk in the chicken stock until smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until the sauce thickens significantly. Reduce heat to low.
- Stir in the heavy cream, thyme, rosemary, and Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Let simmer gently for 2 minutes.
- Fold the cooked chicken, frozen peas, and chopped parsley into the cream sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Gently stir the cooked pasta into the chicken mixture until everything is evenly coated. Transfer the mixture to a prepared 9x13 inch baking dish.
- In a small bowl, toss the Panko breadcrumbs with the melted butter and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the pasta mixture.
- Bake in a preheated oven (375°F / 190°C) for 15–20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling hot and the topping is golden brown and crisp.
- Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.