Butter Chicken Mac and Cheese Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken breast (sliced)
• 1 lemon (juiced)
• 0.5 cup Greek yoghurt (for marinade)
• 1 tsp turmeric (divided)
• 1 tsp cumin (divided)
• 1 tsp coriander (divided)
• 1 tsp masala (divided)
• salt (to taste)
• 6 cloves garlic (finely grated)
• 1 onion (finely diced)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp ginger (minced)
• 5 tomatoes (sliced)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 0.5 cup heavy cream
• 0.25 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 12 oz cavatappi pasta (cooked according to package instructions)
• 2 cups cheese (shredded; use a melting cheese like cheddar or mozzarella)

Steps

1. 1

   In a bowl, add your sliced chicken breast and add the chicken marinade spices: turmeric, cumin, coriander, masala, and salt.

2. 2

   Squeeze the juice of one lemon and add the Greek yoghurt to the meat. Coat well and allow to chill in the refrigerator overnight.

3. 3

   Grill the marinated chicken for 5-6 minutes in an air fryer or oven, or alternatively, fry the chicken in a pan until cooked through. Once done, set aside.

4. 4

   Add the finely diced onion to the same pan used to fry the chicken to pick up the flavors.

5. 5

   Add the ginger and 6 cloves of grated garlic to the pan and fry for 2 minutes.

6. 6

   Add your sauce spices (2 bay leaves, turmeric, cumin, masala, and coriander) to the pan. Stir fry and cook for 5 minutes.

7. 7

   Add the 5 sliced tomatoes and stir fry for another 5 minutes.

8. 8

   Pour in the chicken stock and allow the mixture to simmer for 20 minutes.

9. 9

   Remove the whole bay leaves from the sauce, then blend the sauce until smooth using a blender or immersion blender.

10. 10

    Return the blended sauce to the pan over low heat. Add the cream, the cooked chicken breast, sour cream, and 1 tsp of Dijon mustard. Mix thoroughly.

11. 11

    Add your cooked cavatappi pasta to the sauce and mix well. Allow it to simmer together for 1 minute.

12. 12

    In a casserole dish, layer the pasta mixture first, then a layer of shredded cheese. Repeat the layers.

13. 13

    Bake in the oven until the cheese is completely melted and bubbly.

Notes

The author recommends using cavatappi pasta because its shape holds the sauce well. For the best flavor, ensure the chicken marinates overnight.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• butter chicken
• mac and cheese
• fusion
• baked
• dinner