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Original poster

to make pasta bake two days in advance?

25 replies

HedgehogintheFog · 10/05/2022 10:34

Pack of chicken breasts defrosted. Half will be tonight's dinner. Other half will go in pasta bake for Thursday. My plan was to assemble the pasta bake tonight (pasta, chicken, veg, sauce and cheese) so I can just bung it in the oven as DH and I will both be back late on Thursday, but DH is saying it's too long for it to sit in the fridge assembled.

OP posts:
Popskipiekin · 10/05/2022 10:37

I’d be cooking the chicken in advance I’m afraid, even if that dried it out. I don’t think the shelf life of defrosted, open chicken is very long ….
Perhaps you’d get away with assemble today, cook tomorrow, warm up Thurs.

Bornsloppy · 10/05/2022 10:38

I'd cook it all tonight (though not get it very brown on top), cool and keep in the fridge till Thursday and reheat then.

Original poster
HedgehogintheFog · 10/05/2022 10:39

Popskipiekin · 10/05/2022 10:37

I’d be cooking the chicken in advance I’m afraid, even if that dried it out. I don’t think the shelf life of defrosted, open chicken is very long ….
Perhaps you’d get away with assemble today, cook tomorrow, warm up Thurs.

Will definitely be cooking the chicken tonight, it's just whether I also do the pasta, sauce etc. and assemble the whole thing.

OP posts:
RavenclawWriter · 10/05/2022 10:40

I've done this. It's fine. But don't put the cheese on the top in advance. Do that just before it goes in the oven.

runnerbeany · 10/05/2022 10:41

The chicken will have three days once opened (assuming there was still three days of life in the use by date when you froze it).
I'd say the problem is the pasta. It will keep absorbing more and more liquid and will be huge and squishy, and the pasta bake won't be saucy enough. Just put the constituent parts in the fridge separately and chuck in the oven dish just before cooking.

BarbaraofSeville · 10/05/2022 10:49

The pasta isn't going to be nice if it's been sat in sauce for two days. Definitely cook the chicken, and the veg and sauce if it's not ready made and then just cook the pasta, assemble and bake on Thursday.

I use a Delia recipe that says to only cook the pasta for 7 minutes if it's going in a bake, so times not going to be that tight that 7 minutes will matter on Thursday is it? You could save that by heating the sauce/veg and chicken in a pan/microwaving while the pasta is cooking so it's all hot and ready to go in the oven/under the grill when the pasta is cooked.

JurasicPerks · 10/05/2022 10:52

I'd cook the sauce today, but cook pasta and combine on Thursday.

Indicatrice · 10/05/2022 10:54

Could you cook it and freeze it?

ChilledScandi · 10/05/2022 11:05

Your dh is right, it won’t be nice. Pasta bake is very quick to make, just cook the chicken now and the rest on Thursday.

Springhassprung86 · 10/05/2022 11:07

Who’s replying as if she’s going to put raw chicken in the pasta bake?!! You’re all maniacs 😂

JudgeRindersMinder · 10/05/2022 11:12

It’ll end up really gloopy and stodgy as the pasta will keep absorbing the moisture from the pasta sauce.
Cook the chicken by all means but for the sake of 10 mins to cook the pasta and 30 seconds to Chuck it together on Thursday I wouldn’t ruin the whole dish

Snoken · 10/05/2022 11:12

Yea, the pasta will just be overcooked mush by Thursday if it goes in the sauce today. Just cook the chicken today, and assemble the pasta bake on Thursday.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 10/05/2022 11:14

Yabu to mix chicken and pasta [vom]

ShirleyPhallus · 10/05/2022 11:14

I think pasta bake tastes way better cooked twice like lasagne.

id do the whole thing tonight then reheat again

Blondeshavemorefun · 10/05/2022 11:14

I would cook it today and reheat Thursday

to me lasagne for example is better a day or two later

if all left in sauce the pasta will absorb and be dry

Blondeshavemorefun · 10/05/2022 11:14

ShirleyPhallus · 10/05/2022 11:14

I think pasta bake tastes way better cooked twice like lasagne.

id do the whole thing tonight then reheat again

Lol snap

Indicatrice · 10/05/2022 11:45

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 10/05/2022 11:14

Yabu to mix chicken and pasta [vom]

What is your favourite food, beans on toast? Hmm

MarJau26 · 10/05/2022 11:53

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 10/05/2022 11:14

Yabu to mix chicken and pasta [vom]

And what's wrong with that ??

Op I would just cook the whole bake today and reheat with cheese on Thursday. It will be completely fine.

JustLyra · 10/05/2022 11:56

ShirleyPhallus · 10/05/2022 11:14

I think pasta bake tastes way better cooked twice like lasagne.

id do the whole thing tonight then reheat again

Same here.

SpiderinaWingMirror · 10/05/2022 12:11

I do that with lasagna. Cool it, then put white sauce in top, cover it, into fridge then bung cheese on top before it goes in the oven. As long as the meat is well cooked and then its properly heated through don't see an issue.

TakeMe2Insanity · 10/05/2022 12:18

I’d assemble minus the pasta. I’d do the pasta on the day just so it doesn't change too much (go hard/soft etc).

BaaMoon · 10/05/2022 12:30

No that's too long.

Original poster
HedgehogintheFog · 10/05/2022 17:02

Thanks all for the advice! Sounds like DH was right. I hate it when that happens! 😁Will cook the chicken tonight but cook the pasta whilst the oven's heating up on Thursday evening.

OP posts:
RoyKentsChestHair · 10/05/2022 17:08

Good plan. I agree with those who say it will be dry and stodgy by then. DS makes himself a pan of pasta and sauce on Sunday night for lunches at work. By Weds it’s all claggy and solid and he has to keep adding extra water through the week to keep it moving Envy <vom>

Original poster
HedgehogintheFog · 10/05/2022 20:47

Actually I don’t love chicken with pasta, but the rest of the family do, so 🤷🏼‍♀️

OP posts:
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