Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake (Print Version)

Tender chicken, basil pesto, and melted mozzarella layered with pasta and baked until golden. Ready in 45 minutes.

# Components:

→ 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)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 390°F.
02 - Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just 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 sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until cooked through and lightly golden.
04 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato passata and half of the pesto. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove from heat.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, chicken mixture, half of the mozzarella, and remaining pesto. Stir gently until evenly mixed.
06 - Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
07 - Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden and the sauce is bubbling.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with fresh basil and serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything goes into one dish, so cleanup is mercifully simple even on a weeknight.
  • The pesto gets baked into the sauce and creates these little pockets of intense basil flavor.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld.
  • It looks impressive enough for company but is forgiving enough for tired hands.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the pasta before baking or it will turn soft and mushy in the oven, al dente is your friend here.
  • Reserve some pasta water before draining, a splash mixed in helps the sauce cling better if it looks dry.
  • Let the bake sit for a few minutes after it comes out of the oven, cutting into it right away makes it soupy.
03 -
  • Use a mix of mozzarella and provolone for a deeper, smokier cheese flavor.
  • If your pesto is oily, drain off a little before mixing it in so the dish doesn't get greasy.
  • For a crispy top, switch the oven to broil for the last 2 minutes, but watch it closely so it doesn't burn.
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