A very indulgent baked rotini with a creamy 3 cheese sauce, a generous serving of leftover cooked chicken and loads of delicious golden mushrooms. Delish!
I recently got it into my head that maybe, perhaps, I’d like to move to another house… the thing is, if I’m gonna do that, I gotta first get my own house market ready. You know, I think you never realize how much stuff you’ve accumulated and how much cleaning actually needs to be done in your home until you decide that you want to sell it.
Today, I tackled the garage, as in THE worst area of the entire house. You know, that place where practically everything and anything that you can’t seem to find a spot for in the house ends up? The place where you’re supposed to be parking your car during the cold, snowy months of winter, but that’s usually so overloaded with all kinds of junk that you end up with no room left for said car… Mind you, I’m not so bad when it comes to that. I usually manage to pile up the stuff high enough around the garage so there’s actually enough room left in the center to just barely fit my car and crack the door open, just wide enough for me to squeeze out of the car. As for any eventual passengers, they need to get out before I enter the garage. Hey, to my defense, my garage is really small, okay? But boy oh boy, can it ever hold a lot of sh…tuff!
So having spent the entire day cleaning that garage, carrying all kinds of heavy stuff around and breathing in clouds and clouds of dust, I must confess that my brain is like totally fried tonight…
I sure wish I had some of that Three Cheese Chicken Baked Rotini left in the fridge. It would definitely make dinner that much easier tonight. Plus, I worked so hard all day, I think that I totally deserve a little indulgence.
Unfortunately, it’s long gone…
Would you believe me if I told you that I went most of my life not having a clue how to make a decent Mac ‘n Cheese? In fact, it wasn’t until I was well into my thirties that I finally learned how to do it. Before that, well, I would pretty much do without… for I’ve never been a fan of the questionable fluorescent orange boxed stuff. Not even when I was a kid.
I’ve always been a huge fan of cheese, though, so I’ll never truly understand what took me so long to try and learn how this feast was made. But now that I know how to do it, it often ends up on the menu when I feel like having an indulgent meal.
Like after I spent the day cleaning the garage, for instance…
‘Cuz seriously, pasta and cheese… can you think of anything more indulgent?
Well, this Three Cheese Chicken Baked Rotini, perhaps! It’s just like a like a deliciously creamy, ooey and gooey Mac ‘N Cheese, only kicked up several notches! Indeed, on top of adding 3 different kinds of cheeses, I also threw in a very generous serving of leftover cooked chicken and loads of beautiful slices of mushrooms, sauteed to golden perfection.
That’s just another of the things that I like so much about Mac and Cheese. You can start with the same base recipe and add all kinds of different things to it, making it into a totally new dish every single time.
This particular combination right here is so good, I think it deserves some kind of a prize.
But I’ll let you be the judge of that…
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS & PICTURES
Preheat oven to 350°F
Cook the rotini in plenty of salted boiling water, until just barely al dente, generally 2 minutes less than the recommended cooking time on the package. Drain your pasta as soon as it’s ready and reserve.
No need to wait until it’s done cooking to continue with the recipe, though…
While your pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in large oven safe saute pan set over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the sliced mushrooms, sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook until golden on all sides, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and continue cooking until the onion is fragrant and slightly browned and softened, about 2 minutes.
Now how’s about we do a little bit of multitasking? While your mushrooms and onions are cooking, combine the milk, cream, vermouth, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt and pepper in a large glass measuring cup. Mix vigorously with a whisk until well combined and reserve.
And hey, don’t forget to check on your pasta!
When your mushrooms and onions are cooked to your liking, remove them to a plate, return the saute pan to the heat source and add the butter.
On a totally unrelated side note, would you say that I’m a complete weirdo for totally digging the above photo of melting, bubbling butter? I think it’s beautiful, soothing… mesmerizing! Do you think that perhaps, I should seek professional help? Or maybe I inhaled a little bit too much garage dust…
Once that [mesmerizing] butter is completely melted, sprinkle in flour and cook, whisking constantly, for about 2 minutes.
The mixture will take on a very light golden color and should be free of any lumps.
Now delicately add the milk mixture, about a cup at a time, while whisking continuously.
If you were to add all the milk at once, you would invariably end up with all sorts of clumps and lumps in your sauce, so make sure that each new addition is completely whisked in before you start pouring again.
Once all the milk has been added, bring the sauce to a complete boil (while whisking constantly, still) and then continue cooking it for one full minute, to ensure that the flour is completely cooked and reaches its full thickening power.
Lower the heat, reserve a handful of each of the grated cheeses (you’re wanting to save about 1 cup total) and add the rest to the sauce;
Whisk delicately until the cheeses are completely melted and the sauce is thickened and smooth again; remove from heat.
Return the mushrooms and onions to the pan, followed by the cooked chicken and pasta. Stir delicately until evenly combined.
In a medium bowl, mix the reserved grated cheeses, panko breadcrumbs and dried parsley. Sprinkle all over the top of the pasta.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese sauce starts to bubble around the edge and the top turns a nice golden brown.
This dish is best enjoyed piping hot, so serve without delay!
Ingredients
- 400g (14oz) dry rotini (or other short pasta of your choice)
- 454g (1lb) cooked chicken, diced
- 227g (8oz) white mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt (I use Himalayan)
- 3 cups (720ml) whole milk
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (60ml) dry Vermouth (or dry white wine)
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt (I use Himalayan)
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
- 1/4 cup (60g | 2.1oz) butter
- 1/4 cup (75g | 2.6oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (220g | 8oz) grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 cups (220g | 8oz) grated gouda cheese
- 2 cup (220g | 8oz) grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup (70g | 2.5oz) panko bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Cook the rotini in plenty of salted boiling water, until just barely al dente; drain and reserve.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in large oven safe saute pan set over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the sliced mushrooms, sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook until golden on all sides, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and continue cooking until the onion is fragrant and slightly browned and softened, about 2 minutes.
- While the mushrooms and onions are cooking, combine the milk, cream, vermouth, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt and pepper in a large glass measuring cup. Mix vigorously with a whisk until well combined and reserve.
- Remove the cooked mushrooms and onions to a plate, return the saute pan to the heat source and add the butter. Once that butter is completely melted, sprinkle in flour and cook, whisking constantly, for about 2 minutes. Then, delicately add the milk mixture about a cup at a time, while whisking continuously, and bring the sauce to a complete boil. Continue cooking the sauce for one full minute, to ensure that the flour is completely cooked and reaches its full thickening power.
- Lower the heat, reserve a handful of each of the grated cheeses (about 1 cup total) and add the rest to the pan; whisk delicately until the cheeses are completely melted and the sauce is smooth again; remove from heat.
- Return the mushrooms and onions to the pan, followed by the cooked chicken and pasta. Stir delicately until evenly combined.
- In a medium bowl, mix the reserved grated cheeses, panko breadcrumbs and dried parsley. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese sauce starts to bubble around the edge and the top turns a nice golden brown.
- Serve hot.
Karly says
I need allllll this cheesy pasta allllll up in my business ASAP. Love that crispy top, too! Can’t wait to give this a try!
Evil Twin says
Thanks, Karly! Hope it’s to your liking! 🙂