Nouilles - Creamy Chicken & Ham Pasta Bake

Nouilles, this is a favorite nostalgic dish my mother used to cook, it's a mixture of cooked chicken, mushrooms (or any vegetables you like), pork and Swiss Cheese with pasta, all baked in a creamy béchamel sauce. It is one of the favorite dishes for many Lebanese.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 180°C and position rack in center of oven.

Step 2

In a heavy-bottom pan cook the pasta as per pack instructions for al dente, it will continue cooking in the oven. Drain and keep aside.

Step 3

Heat the butter and cook the onion and mushrooms until fragrant (3-4 minutes) then add the chicken and keep cooking until almost done. Add the wine and cook until half the liquid is evaporated. then set aside.

Step 4

To make the sauce, in a pot, over medium heat, stir in the butter until melted but not colored. Add the flour and cook, stir for 1-2 minutes or until the roux is light golden in color, stirring continuously, turn the heat off.

Step 5

Add the milk, one cup at a time and keep whisking continuously with a wire whisk using the other hand. Whisk vigorously until smooth, switch on the heat to low, add salt, nutmeg, pepper, mix well and cook the sauce until it starts to coat the back of the spatula, stirring continuously.

Step 6

In a large baking pan, spread the pasta using a pair of tongs, separate it to span the pan. add-in (chicken, onion, mushrooms mixture), pour your sauce mixture right on top of your pasta, using the tongs, move your pasta around to ensure they are evenly distributed in the pan.

Step 7

Add the shredded cheese on top of the pan, Bake on 180°C for 20 minutes, broil the top slightly to get a nice brown topping.

Step 8

Garnish with chopped herbs and serve warm.