Chicken and Vegetable Pennette Ragu, with Smoky Herb Garlic Crumb

Chicken and Vegetable Pennette Ragu, with Smoky Herb Garlic Crumb

Ready in 30 minutes • Serves 5
This dish most recently appeared in My Family (5 Nights For 4) on Sunday, April 3, 2016.
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For fussier foodies, you could leave the fresh thyme out of the crumb and it will still be just as yummy! To break up mince as you cook it, use a wooden spoon.

Ingredients

SMOKY HERB GARLIC CRUMB

  • 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon chicken ragu spice mix
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE PENNETTE RAGU

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 450g chicken mince
  • 1 brown onion, finely diced
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 1 courgette, grated
  • 2 teaspoons chicken ragu spice mix
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup red wine or chicken or beef stock
  • 70g tomato paste
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken or beef stock
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 3 handfuls baby spinach leaves
  • 400g pennette pasta

TO SERVE

  • 1 cup grated tasty cheese

Steps

  1. a large pot of salted water to the boil.
  2. Combine all smoky herb garlic crumb ingredients in a medium bowl.
  3. Heat a large, dry, deep fry-pan (with a lid) on medium-high heat and cook crumb for 1–2 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Remove from pan, set aside and wipe pan clean with a paper towel. Return pan to high heat with oil.
  4. Cook mince for 4–5 minutes, until browned, breaking it up. Add onion, carrot, courgette, spice mix and salt and cook for 3–4 minutes, until softened. Add red wine/first measure of stock and leave to evaporate, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, tomatoes, remaining stock and sugar.
  5. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10–12 minutes, until sauce is reduced and thickened slightly. Remove from heat and fold through spinach until just wilted.
  6. While sauce is cooking, cook pennette in pot of boiling water for 8–10 minutes, or until just tender, stirring occasionally. Drain, return to pot and drizzle with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
  7. Divide pennette between bowls and spoon over chicken and vegetable ragu. Sprinkle over smoky herb garlic crumb and cheese.

Nutritional Information

Energy 2522 kj
603 kcal
Protein 36.7g
Carbohydrate 67.4g
Fat 19.9g