Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake (Printable)
Tender chicken and penne tossed in basil pesto cream sauce, topped with melted mozzarella and Parmesan.
# What You’ll 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 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground 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)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
02 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, about 1 minute short of package directions. Drain well and set aside.
03 - While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then add to the skillet in a single layer. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from heat.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the drained pasta, seared chicken, basil pesto, heavy cream, minced garlic, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes until evenly coated.
05 - Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. Scatter the shredded mozzarella over the top, then finish with an even layer of grated Parmesan.
06 - Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and lightly golden on top.
07 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes to allow the sauce to set. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired, then serve warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The pesto cream sauce coats every single piece of pasta and you will catch yourself eating it straight from the dish before it even makes it to plates.
- It reheats beautifully which means you have lunch sorted for the next two days without any effort at all.
- You probably have most of these ingredients sitting in your kitchen right now.
02 -
- Undercook your pasta by one minute because it finishes in the oven and no one wants a bake that has turned into a starchy, soft mess.
- Let the bake rest those full five minutes or the sauce will run everywhere and you will lose that gorgeous creamy texture on each serving.
- If your pesto has been sitting in the fridge, stir it well before measuring because the oil separates and you need it emulsified for even flavor.
03 -
- Taste your pesto before you add salt to anything because some store bought jars are aggressively salty and you can end up oversalting the whole dish without realizing it.
- Shred your own mozzarella from a block rather than buying the pre shredded bags because the fresh stuff melts into a smooth, luxurious layer instead of those odd rubbery patches.