Macaroni Chicken & Cheese (with hidden vegetables!)

This recipe is perfect for the upcoming cooler months. When you want more of that comfort food, or for when you want something that you can just pop in the oven at the end of a busy day that's tasty, but still full of all the good stuff you need. I like to have a bit of chicken for protein (aka extra fullness feeling) and for the little people, it's great to be able to sneak in some veggies. Peeling the zucchini (courgette) first means the colour of the dish is still cheesy and the pumpkin adds creaminess and a bit more of an earthy flavour.

Ingredients (Serves 6-8 people):

• 500g macaroni or other dried pasta shapes
• 600g chicken breast - two large breasts is about enough 
• 1 tbsp dried thyme 
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar - lemon juice would also work
• Olive oil
• 1.5 cup diced pumpkin 
• 2 or 3 zucchini peeled and roughly chopped 
• 50g butter
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1.5 cups milk 
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg - freshly grated nutmeg has the best flavour if you can get your hands on whole nutmeg. 
• 2 cups grated cheese (cheddar, colby, mild, parmesan or a combination - obviously the type of cheese you use will affect how cheesy the flavour is, so I tend to stick to cheddar/mild for toddlers) 
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the packet directions. Drain and toss through a few glugs of olive oil. 

In a small saucepan boil cubed pumpkin and zucchini for 10 minutes till tender. Drain & puree with a stick blender, food processor, or just mash. Set aside. 

Slice chicken breast lengthways through the middle so you have two flatter fillets. Heat another tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and fry each fillet for 4-6 minutes each side till lightly browned. Set aside and allow to cool. Add thyme, white wine vinegar and a splash of water to the pan and stir to remove all the tasty juices from the bottom of the pan. Add this chicken thyme juice to the pureed veggies. 

Finally make the sauce. Melt the butter and garlic over a medium heat. Once bubbling, add the flour and stir. It will be a little foamy. Gradually add the milk, stirring well after each addition to make sure you don't get any lumps. Continue stirring and once thickened take off the heat and add half of the grated cheese. Stir till you have a smooth sauce. Add the nutmeg and pureed veggies. Stir and season to taste. 

Roughly chop the chicken and combine with the sauce and cooked pasta. Spoon everything into a large baking dish (or two smaller ones if you want to freeze half). Top with remaining cheese and then breadcrumbs. Can be chilled for 24hrs, or frozen for up to 4 months at this point. 

Preheat oven to 180*C. 

Bake for 30 - 40 mins till heated through and lightly golden on top. 

Serve with a green salad, or steamed veggies and crusty bread.