Chicken and halloumi pasta bake is a perfect, filling delicious dinner. Easy to make this will soon become a family favourite!
Pasta bakes like this easy chicken halloumi pasta bake are pretty common in our household.
In fact I've got so many tasty pasta bakes (see list below) but to date none that have ever used halloumi cheese, which is strange as we love halloumi!
Also pasta bakes are one of the most popular types of recipes that you folks love too going by the popularity of my chicken and chorizo pasta bake.
So I'm sure you'll want to add this delicious new recipe featuring halloumi to your list of pasta recipes.
You won't believe that this delicious creamy tasting chicken and halloumi pasta bake is made with no actual cream either. Just a tomato based sauce!
There's just something about the way the chunks of chicken go together with the nearly melted cubes of halloumi.
The two textures combine so well and are complimented with a rich tasting tomato sauce.
I spice up the sauce a little with a small amount of dried red chilli flakes.
If you're serving this to young children you might want to miss out the red chilli flakes.
Or if you like it nice and spicy then add a little more flakes or use some mild chilli powder or even cajun seasoning in its place.
This chicken and halloumi pasta bake is the perfect comfort food when you're craving carbs but still want to have something reasonably healthy!
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Penne Pasta
- Olive Oil
- Onion
- Clove Garlic
- Chicken breast fillets
- Red Pepper
- Halloumi Cheese
- Skimmed Milk
- Plain Flour
- Tomato Passata
- Dried Red Chilli flakes (optional)
- Freshly Ground Salt and Black Pepper
- Low fat grated cheddar cheese
- Chopped Basil (optional garnish)
See recipe card for quantities.
Step By Step Instructions
Detailed instructions are in the recipe card below. But here is a quick step by step guide of how to make this chicken and halloumi pasta bake recipe:
Steps 1 & 2
- Pre-heat oven to 180C Fan.
- Cook pasta until al dente.
Step 3
- In a large saucepan sauté the onion and garlic until softened.
Step 4
- Add the chicken and cook stirring until no longer pink on the outside.
Step 4 (cont)
- Stir in the red pepper and halloumi and cook until the chicken is cooked through. Remove pan from heat.
Step 5
- Add the milk and flour into a medium sized saucepan. Simmer and whisk thoroughly until you have a smooth and thickened white sauce.
Step 6
- Stir in the passata and chilli flakes. Simmer until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste.
Step 7
- Add drained pasta and sauce to the large pan containing the chicken and halloumi and mix well.
Step 8
- Pour the contents of the pan into an oven proof dish. Sprinkle with the cheese and place into your oven.
Step 9
- Bake until the cheese has browned slightly and is bubbling.
Substitutions
- Penne Pasta - I use whole wheat pasta. If you can't get penne you could also use fusilli or rigatoni.
- Chicken breast fillets - I use skinless, boneless chicken breast fillets. You could also use rotisserie chicken. This recipe is also a great way to use up any leftover chicken.
- Red Pepper - use any kind of bell peppers.
- Halloumi Cheese - you could substitute with paneer cheese.
- Skimmed Milk - semi skimmed milk or whole milk is fine but will alter the nutritional label.
- Tomato Passata - you could use tinned tomatoes instead.
- Low fat grated cheddar cheese - full fat is fine but will alter the nutritional label.
What Is Halloumi Cheese?
Halloumi is traditional Cyprus cheese made from a mixture of goat's and sheep's milk. Sometimes also using cow's milk.
It has a texture that is described as squeaky.
It also has a high melting point and so it's great for use in baked pasta dishes.
Equipment
For This Chicken And Halloumi Pasta Bake You May Need….
The following links and any links in the recipe card below are affiliate links.
That means that if you click on it and then buy that product I’ll get a small commission (at no extra cost to you of course).
If you do click through then thanks for being a part of Neil’s Healthy Meals!
This is the basic pasta dish I use.
It's a great low cost but good quality baking and roasting dish.
It's perfect for lasagne, side dishes and desserts. It's dishwasher, freezer and oven safe too.
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FAQ's
Is Chicken Halloumi Pasta Bake Healthy?
Yes this halloumi pasta bake is healthy. Or as healthy as it can be as I've used lower fat ingredients where I can and Halloumi is high in protein and calcium.
How Many Calories Are In Halloumi Pasta?
This halloumi pasta bake with chicken is low in calories at just 391 calories per serving.
Can I Make It Ahead?
Yes. Follow the steps above to step 8 prior to baking. Cover with foil and keep in fridge for up to one day. Remove from fridge and allow to return to room temperature prior to baking.
Can I Make This Halloumi Bake Vegetarian?
Absolutely. Just remove the chicken and substitute with some extra vegetables like courgettes.
How To Make Halloumi Pasta Bake Gluten Free?
If you use gluten-free pasta then you can make this dish gluten free.
What To Serve With This Halloumi Cheese Pasta Bake?
It's quite filling so I just serve it with a green salad. You could also serve it with some garlic bread if you want the dish to go further. Or for extra vegetables some steamed broccoli.
How To Store?
Keep your halloumi chicken pasta bake in the fridge, covered with cling film for 2 days. After that it is better to freeze.
Can You Freeze Chicken Halloumi Pasta Bake?
Yes. Portion it into individual air tight containers and freeze.
How To Reheat?
Defrost thoroughly in your fridge overnight. You can easily reheat this in your oven but cover the pasta dish in foil. Alternatively you can reheat it, covered in your microwave 1 minute at a time until it's reached the desired temperature.
Other Pasta Bake Recipes To Try
📋 Chicken And Halloumi Pasta Bake Recipe
The following links and any links in the recipe card below are affiliate links.
This means that if you click on it and then buy that product I’ll get a small commission (at no extra cost to you of course).
If you do click through then thanks for being a part of Neil’s Healthy Meals!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 200 g penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Small Onion diced
- 1 Clove Garlic crushed
- 250 g chicken breast fillets chopped into bite size pieces
- 1 red pepper chopped
- 225 g Halloumi cut into cubes
- 300 ml skimmed milk
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 300 g tomato passata
- ½ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes optional
- Freshly Ground Salt and Pepper
- 75 g low fat grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 180C Fan.
- Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, stir in the pasta, and return to the boil. Turn down to simmer for 10 - 12 minutes. Then drain and set aside.
- Whilst the pasta is cooking, in a large pan, gently heat the oil and sauté the onion and garlic for about 4 - 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the chicken and cook stirring until no longer pink on the outside, about 5 minutes. Stir in the red pepper and halloumi and cook for another 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove pan from the heat.
- Add the milk and flour into a medium sized saucepan. Bring the mixture to the boil, then turn it down to simmer and whisk it thoroughly until you have a smooth and thickened white sauce. Then stir in the passata and chilli flakes. Simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste.
- Add drained pasta and sauce to the large pan containing the chicken and halloumi and mix well.
- Pour the contents of the large pan into an oven proof dish, sprinkle with the cheese and place onto the middle shelf of your oven.
- Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until the cheese has browned slightly and is bubbling.
Nutrition
Nutrition Label
Nutritional information provided below is calculated using paid for online tools and the exact ingredients and quantities used above.
Rate The Recipe
If you’ve made this chicken and halloumi pasta bake recipe, or any other recipes on Neil's Healthy Meals, then please let me know.
I’d love to hear what you think of my recipe in the comments below and please do rate my recipe 5* if you like it! 🙂
angiesrecipes
Such a comforting and delicious meal! I adore halloumi and this looks like a perfect recipe to use more of them 🙂
Neil
Thanks Angie! Yes we love halloumi too and when you pair it with chicken here, it's just amazing!
mimi rippee
This looks so good! I've never used halloumi this way. Great idea!
Neil
Thank you Mimi. It's really tasty!
Linger, Kristy Murray
This pasta dish is the perfect comfort food that I will have to add to my pasta repertoire of recipes. I've never used halloumi cheese but I'm so interested in trying it. Seems like a great combination of flavors. Thanks so much Neil for sharing!
Neil
Hope you enjoy this delicious pasta dish Kristy! Thanks for your comment. 🙂
Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man!
I'm constantly craving carbs, and I love it when i come across something new, like halloumi. This pasta sounds really good, especially if it has comfort food power, as you say. Looks great!
Neil
I definitely crave carbs a lot more in these winter months Jeff. That's why I tend to make more pasta based recipes and am always looking for new combinations and bakes. Thanks for your comment and rating!
David @ Spiced
I absolutely love a good pasta bake! It is one of the most nostalgic comfort foods I can think of - and this version with chicken and halloumi sounds delicious, Neil. I haven't played around with halloumi in too many recipes - I think it's about time to change that! This pasta bake sounds fantastic!
Neil
Thanks David. Adding the halloumi to this pasta bake turns an otherwise normal chicken pasta bake into something extra special. Hope you get a chance to try it out!
Michelle
Love how you've taken halloumi to a new level with this pasta bake! So delicious and comforting, save me a plate!
Neil
This one is proving popular. Thank you for your vote too Michelle!
Sherry
i love chicken and i love halloumi but not so much the pasta 🙂 Could try with rice maybe?
Neil
Could be an option with rice Sherry. I haven't tried that myself but sounds like a good combination.
2pots2cook
This bake is great! I have never thought of using halloumi in pasta bake. Must do!
Neil
Thankyou. You'll love the texture of the added halloumi.
Raymund | angsarap.net
I love a good pasta bake and this chicken and halloumi pasta bake recipe looks like a must-try for me! I've never thought of using halloumi cheese in a pasta bake before, but I can imagine the salty and creamy flavour will go perfectly with the chicken.
Neil
Thank you Raymund. As I said to those others who commented here too, the halloumi really does make an amazing different to this dish. You're right in that the salt and creamy flavour goes so well with the chicken.