# Chicken Negresco Pasta with White Sauce and Mozzarella

> The secret to Negresco pasta that doesn't dry out in the oven: **the pasta is boiled 2–3 minutes less than the package time**, and **the white sauce is lighter than regular bechamel** — it coats the back of the spoon while still running off it. The pasta finishes cooking in the oven while absorbing the sauce, so if the sauce is too thick or the pasta is fully cooked from the start, it comes out dry and mushy.

**Egyptian Cuisine · 80 min · 6 servings · 840 kcal per serving**

Chicken Negresco is one of the most famous pasta dishes in Egyptian restaurants right after bechamel: penne pasta mixed with sautéed chicken, peppers, and mushrooms, drowning in a cheesy white sauce, topped with a stretchy mozzarella layer. Unlike bechamel pasta, here everything is mixed together without layers, and the sauce is lighter and more generous in quantity.

## Ingredients

- 500 g — penne pasta
- 1 tbsp — salt for boiling water
- 500 g — chicken breasts cut into 2 cm cubes
- 3 clove — minced garlic
- 1 tsp — paprika
- 0.5 tsp — black pepper
- 1.5 tsp — salt (for chicken and sauce)
- 2 tbsp — oil
- 1 head — medium sliced onion
- 1 head — sliced bell peppers
- 200 g — sliced mushrooms
- 4 tbsp — butter for the sauce
- 5 tbsp — flour
- 4 cup — warm full-fat milk
- 0.5 cup — cooking cream
- 0.25 tsp — nutmeg
- 50 g — grated Roumy cheese for the sauce
- 200 g — grated mozzarella cheese for the topping

## Method

1. **Undercooking the Pasta** — Preheat the oven to **200°C**. Boil the pasta in **4 liters of boiling salted water** for **only 6–7 minutes** (2–3 minutes less than the package) and drain without rinsing. It will finish cooking in the oven as it absorbs the sauce — if it is cooked now, it will turn out mushy.
2. **Sautéing the Chicken** — Season the chicken with **half a teaspoon of salt**, paprika, black pepper, and garlic. Heat the oil in a wide pan over **high heat** and sear the chicken for **6–7 minutes** until golden on all sides. High heat sears it instead of letting it release its juices and boil.
3. **The Vegetables** — Add the onion, bell peppers, and mushrooms to the chicken and toss for **4–5 minutes** over high heat until the mushrooms absorb their water and the vegetables soften slightly. Keep a slight crunch since they will finish cooking in the oven.
4. **The White Sauce** — In another pot, melt the butter over medium heat, add the flour, and stir for **2 minutes** without browning — this removes the raw flour taste. Pour in the warm milk **gradually** while whisking constantly so it doesn't form lumps, and let it simmer gently for **6–8 minutes** until it thickens.
5. **Adjusting Consistency and Flavor** — Remove the sauce from the heat and add the cream, Roumy cheese, and nutmeg. Taste it before adding **the remaining small spoon of salt** because the cheese is salty. The correct consistency: **it coats the back of the spoon but still runs off it** — lighter than pasta bechamel, because the pasta will absorb some of it in the oven.
6. **Mixing in the Dish** — In a large bowl, mix the pasta, chicken with vegetables, and **three-quarters of the sauce**. Spread it in a **25x35 cm** buttered baking dish, and pour the remaining sauce over the top, spreading it evenly. The sauce on top protects the topmost pasta from drying out and getting crunchy.
7. **Cheese and Oven** — Cover the top with mozzarella, and place the dish on **the middle rack for 20 minutes** until the sauce bubbles at the edges. Then turn on **the top broiler for 3–5 minutes** until the cheese turns golden with reddish spots. Keep an eye on it at the end because cheese burns in seconds.
8. **Resting Before Serving** — Let the dish rest for **10 minutes** outside the oven before serving. The sauce sets slightly, so the portions come out holding their shape instead of running all over the plate.

## Tips

- Boneless chicken thighs turn out juicier and more tender than breasts in oven-baked dishes — same weight and same method.
- If the sauce forms lumps, whisk it vigorously or pass it through a sieve before adding the cheese.
- Want it richer in flavor? Add **half a cup of grated cheddar cheese** to the sauce along with the Roumy — it gives a yellow color and a stronger taste.
- A wider dish gives a more browned top, while a deeper dish gives a more generous Negresco filling inside — choose according to what you prefer.

## FAQ

### What is the difference between Negresco pasta and pasta bechamel?
Bechamel is layered pasta with minced meat topped with thick bechamel, cut into squares. Negresco is chicken and vegetables mixed with the pasta in a lighter white sauce with cheese and cream, topped with mozzarella — it is served creamy rather than cut into pieces.

### Why does Negresco come out dry from the oven?
Three reasons: the pasta was boiled until fully cooked so it absorbed all the sauce, the sauce was too thick from the beginning, or the dish stayed in the oven too long. Stick to the undercooked boiling, keep the sauce a bit runny, and take it out as soon as the edges bubble and the cheese turns golden.

### Can I prepare it ahead of time or freeze it?
You can assemble it up to the cheese step, cover it, and keep it in the fridge for **up to 24 hours**, adding **10 minutes** to the baking time. If it sits, make the sauce **half a cup of milk** thinner because the pasta absorbs it while waiting. It can also be frozen before baking for **up to a month**: thaw it in the fridge overnight and bake it covered with foil for the first 15 minutes.

### Can I make it without cream or with another cheese?
Without cream: add **half a cup of milk and a tablespoon of butter**, and the difference in richness is minor. As for cheese: any melting cheese works — mozzarella for the stretch, and cheddar or Roumy for the flavor. Avoid white cheese and Queso Blanco because they don't melt and release water into the sauce.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/egyptian-cuisine/chicken-negresco-pasta
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-10-26