Anna Louise A chicken pasta bake is the dinner that everyone at the table is always happy to see. Tender chicken, pasta coated in a rich, creamy sauce, topped with melted cheese and baked until golden and bubbling. it is the kind of meal that makes a cold weeknight feel like something to look forward to.
Mary Berry’s chicken pasta bake recipe builds a proper sauce from scratch rather than relying on a jar — a simple béchamel enriched with a little cream cheese, seasoned with mustard and thyme, and combined with roasted chicken, pasta, and spinach for a dish with genuine depth of flavour.
The cheese on top goes golden and slightly crispy at the edges in a way that makes it completely irresistible. This is the recipe I make when I need to feed four to six people with minimum fuss and maximum satisfaction.
It can be assembled ahead, refrigerated, and baked when needed — one of the most genuinely useful qualities a recipe can have.
What Makes This Pasta Bake Better Than Most
A proper sauce made from scratch. Many pasta bake recipes use cream of chicken soup or jarred sauce as a shortcut. A simple béchamel takes 10 minutes and tastes completely different — richer, more balanced, and genuinely flavourful rather than flat and slightly tinny.
Cream cheese stirred into the sauce. A generous spoonful of full-fat cream cheese stirred into the béchamel adds a silkiness and richness that makes the finished sauce extraordinarily creamy without becoming heavy.
Cooking the pasta slightly under. The pasta must be cooked to just under al dente before it goes into the bake — it will continue cooking in the oven. Fully cooked pasta goes soft and mushy during baking. Under-cooked pasta becomes perfectly tender.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Chicken Pasta Bake
For the Pasta and Chicken
- 400g penne or rigatoni pasta
- 600g boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Cream Sauce
- 50g unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 50g plain flour
- 600ml whole milk
- 200ml chicken stock
- 150g full-fat cream cheese
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)
- 100g baby spinach, roughly chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Topping
- 150g mature Cheddar, grated
- 50g Parmesan, finely grated
- 50g fresh breadcrumbs (optional — adds a wonderful crunch)
How to Make Mary Berry Chicken Pasta Bake — Step by Step
Step 1 — Cook the Pasta
Cook the pasta in a large pan of well-salted boiling water for two minutes less than the packet instructions — it should be just under al dente. Drain and set aside. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
Step 2 — Cook the Chicken
Season the chicken pieces with smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in two batches for 4 to 5 minutes per batch, turning occasionally, until golden on the outside and just cooked through. Set aside.
Step 3 — Make the Cream Sauce
In the same large pan, melt the butter over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
Add the flour and stir for one to two minutes to cook the raw flour out. Gradually add the milk, a ladleful at a time, stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Add the chicken stock and continue stirring until the sauce is smooth and beginning to thicken.
Add the cream cheese, Dijon mustard, and thyme. Stir until the cream cheese has fully melted into the sauce. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add the chopped spinach and stir until wilted.
Step 4 — Combine
Add the cooked pasta and chicken to the sauce. Stir gently to combine everything thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Step 5 — Transfer and Top
Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Transfer the pasta and chicken mixture to a large, deep ovenproof dish — approximately 30x20cm. Spread evenly.
Mix the grated Cheddar, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs if using together. Scatter generously over the top.
Step 6 — Bake
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the topping is deep golden, the edges are bubbling, and the pasta bake is piping hot throughout. If the top is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the final 10 minutes.
Step 7 — Rest and Serve
Leave to rest for five minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to settle slightly and makes serving significantly neater.
My Top Tips For Mary Berry Chicken Pasta Bake
Cook the pasta two minutes under. The pasta continues cooking in the oven. Under-cook by two minutes before adding to the sauce and it will be perfectly cooked in the finished bake. Fully cooked pasta turns mushy.
Brown the chicken before adding to the sauce. The flavour difference between pale poached chicken and properly browned chicken in a pasta bake is significant. Take the time to brown it properly.
Use cream cheese in the sauce. A generous spoonful of full-fat cream cheese stirred into the béchamel makes the sauce noticeably richer, silkier, and more indulgent. It is the detail that makes this pasta bake better than most.
Assemble ahead. The assembled, uncooked pasta bake keeps in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Add 10 minutes to the baking time if cooking from cold. This makes it one of the most genuinely useful recipes for entertaining.
Do not skip the Parmesan. The combination of mature Cheddar and Parmesan on top gives a more complex, more deeply flavoured cheese crust than either alone. The Parmesan adds a nutty, slightly sharp quality that elevates the whole dish.
Serving Suggestions
With a simple green salad and crusty bread — the classic combination. With garlic bread for something more indulgent. As a standalone family dinner with no accompaniment needed. Taken to a friend who needs feeding — this reheats beautifully.
How to Store Mary Berry Chicken Pasta Bake
In the fridge: Store covered for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 180°C oven covered with foil for 20 to 25 minutes, or individual portions in the microwave.
In the freezer: Freeze before baking for up to 2 months. Cover tightly with cling film and foil. Defrost overnight in the fridge and bake as directed, adding 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time.
Mary Berry Chicken Pasta Bake Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Cook pasta 2 minutes under al dente. Drain. Toss with olive oil.
- Season chicken with paprika, salt, and pepper. Brown in batches in olive oil — 4–5 minutes per batch. Set aside.
- Melt butter in the same pan. Cook onion 8–10 minutes. Add garlic — 1 minute. Add flour — stir 1–2 minutes. Add milk gradually, stirring. Add stock. Stir until smooth and thickening. Add cream cheese, mustard, and thyme. Stir until cream cheese melts. Season. Add spinach — stir until wilted.
- Add pasta and chicken to sauce. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust.
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Transfer to a large ovenproof dish. Mix Cheddar, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs. Scatter over the top.
- Bake 25–30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use leftover roast chicken?
Yes — leftover roast chicken works brilliantly and saves the step of cooking the raw chicken. Shred or cut the cooked chicken into pieces and add directly to the sauce at step 4.
Can I use different pasta shapes?
Yes — rigatoni, fusilli, farfalle, or any medium-sized pasta shape all work well. Avoid very small pasta like macaroni — it becomes too soft during baking.
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes — omit the chicken and add roasted vegetables instead. Courgette, red pepper, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes all work beautifully. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
Can I use different cheeses?
Yes — Gruyère gives a wonderfully nutty, melty topping. Mozzarella gives a more stringy, pizza-like result. A mixture of Cheddar and Gruyère is particularly good.
Why is my pasta bake dry?
Either the sauce was too thick before the pasta went in, or it was baked for too long. The sauce should be pourable before adding the pasta — it thickens further during baking. Cover with foil for the final 10 minutes if the top is browning faster than the sauce is bubbling.
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