Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake (Printable)
Tender chicken and penne baked in creamy basil pesto sauce topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 10 oz penne or rigatoni
→ Chicken
02 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 12 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces
03 - 1 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Sauce & Flavorings
06 - 1/2 cup basil pesto, homemade or store-bought
07 - 2/3 cup heavy cream
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (optional)
→ Cheese
10 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella
11 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Garnish
12 - Fresh basil leaves (optional)
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook until just al dente according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then add to the skillet. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from heat and set aside.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the drained pasta, cooked chicken, basil pesto, heavy cream, minced garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes until evenly coated.
05 - Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan evenly over the top.
06 - Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden on top.
07 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It turns a handful of everyday ingredients into something that tastes like you spent far longer than fifty minutes on it.
- The creamy pesto sauce clings to every ridged noodle and the cheese pulls apart in those satisfying strings that make everyone at the table go quiet.
02 -
- Undercook your pasta by one minute because it will absolutely turn to mush if you boil it fully before baking.
- Letting the bake rest for those five minutes is not optional and I learned this the hard way when I served it immediately and the sauce pooled into a sad puddle on the plate.
03 -
- Toast your chicken in a single layer without crowding the pan and you will be rewarded with a caramelized exterior that adds incredible depth to every bite.
- Reserve a quarter cup of pasta water before draining because that starchy liquid is the secret weapon if your sauce needs loosening at any point.