Mustard Baked Chicken with Pasta Shells

The chicken pieces are cooked in a succulent, mild mustard sauce, then coated in poppy seeds, and served on a bed of pasta.

Here's what you'll need:

8 pieces of chicken (about 4 ounces each)
4 tbsp. butted, melted
4 tbsp. mild mustard (* see tip)
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. paprika
2 tbsp. poppy seeds
14-oz. Fresh pasta shells
1 tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper

(* Tip: Dijon is the type of mustard most often used in cooking, as it has a clean and only mildly spicy flavour. German mustard has a sweet-sour taste, with Bavarian mustard being slightly sweeter. American mustard is mild and sweet. I used the American mustard*)

Directions
1. Arrange the chicken pieces smooth side down, in a single layer in a large oven -proof dish.
2. Mix together the butter, mustard, lemon juice, sugar and paprika in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Brush the mixture over chicken pieces and heave 'em into the oven (preheated to 400F) for 15 minutes. (Don't use all the mixture yet)
3. Take the dish out of the oven and turn the chicken pieces over. Coat the chicken again with what's left of the mustard mixture. Now sprinkle the poppy seeds over the chicken and pop 'em back into the oven for another 15 minutes.
4. Pour up some more wine for your guest.
5. While all this is happening you should be boiling a large pot of lightly salted water. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook them until they're tender but still firm to the bite.
6. Drain the pasta, arrange it on a warn serving dish. Top it off with the chicken and pour the sauce over the works.

I got this recipe from What's Cooking Pasta by Tom Bridge