Super Green Cheesy Chicken and Pesto Macaroni

Fill the (now empty) saucepan with water, add in ½ tsp salt and bring to the boil.  

When boiling, stir the macaroni into the water and bring back to the boil. Cook until tender, 12 mins.

Once cooked, drain in a colander and pop back into the pan. Drizzle with oil and stir through to stop it sticking together.

Meanwhile, grate the Cheddar cheese. 

Pop the drained broccoli in a blender along with the creme fraiche. Season with salt and pepper and blitz until completely smooth, 1-2 mins. TIP: This works best with a blender but if you don't have one, mash the broccoli in a bowl with a potato masher. Next, stir through the creme fraiche and set aside until the next step.

While the pasta cooks, melt the butter (see pantry for amount) in a large saucepan on medium-high heat.

Once hot, add the chicken to the pan and fry until cooked through, 8-10 mins. TIP: Notice a stronger smell from your chicken? Don’t worry, this is normal due to packaging we use to keep it fresh. IMPORTANT: Wash your hands and equipment after handling raw chicken and its packaging. It's cooked when no longer pink in the middle.

Stir in the flour (see pantry for amount). Cook until it forms a paste, 1-2 mins - you've made a roux! 

Stir in the water for the sauce (see pantry for amount) a little at a time, followed by the white wine stock powder. 

Bring to the boil, then stir and simmer until thickened, 1-2 mins. Season with salt and pepper.

Once thickened, stir in the creamy blended broccoli mixture, Cheddar cheese and half the hard Italian style cheese until melted and combined, 1-2 mins. 

Stir in the cooked macaroni and pesto. Taste and season with salt and pepper if you feel it needs it. 

Add a splash of water if the sauce looks a little thick.