Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake (Printable version)

Tender chicken, basil pesto, and melted mozzarella baked to golden perfection in a comforting pasta casserole.

# Ingredient list:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz penne or rigatoni pasta

→ Chicken

02 - 2 medium chicken breasts (about 12 oz), diced

→ Pesto & Sauce

03 - 1/2 cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade
04 - 1 1/4 cups tomato passata or marinara sauce
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Cheese

07 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Seasoning

09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
10 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish, optional

# Step-by-step guide:

01 - Set oven to 390°F.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5-7 minutes until cooked through and lightly golden.
04 - Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato passata and half of the pesto. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked pasta, chicken mixture, half of the mozzarella, and remaining pesto. Stir gently until evenly mixed.
06 - Transfer mixture to a lightly greased baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
07 - Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and golden and sauce is bubbling.
08 - Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It uses pantry staples and tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen.
  • The pesto does all the heavy lifting for flavor, so theres no complicated seasoning.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day.
  • Its the kind of meal that makes everyone quiet at the table in the best way.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the pasta in the pot, it will keep cooking in the oven and you don't want it mushy.
  • Use half the pesto in the sauce and half when mixing so the flavor is layered and not one-note.
  • Let the bake rest after it comes out of the oven, it makes slicing and serving so much cleaner.
03 -
  • Reserve a little pasta water before draining, you can stir it in if the mixture looks dry before baking.
  • Freshly grated Parmesan melts better and tastes sharper than the pre-grated stuff.
  • If your pesto contains pine nuts and someone has a nut allergy, swap it for a nut-free basil pesto or make your own with sunflower seeds.
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