Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake (Printable)
Tender chicken and penne baked in creamy basil pesto 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 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ Sauce and 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 large baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add penne or rigatoni 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. Add chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes 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, combine the drained pasta, cooked chicken, basil pesto, heavy cream, minced garlic, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Toss until all ingredients are evenly coated with the pesto cream sauce.
05 - Transfer the pasta and chicken mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over the top, followed by the grated Parmesan cheese.
06 - Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown 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 Tips:
01 -
- The pesto and cream sauce comes together in the same bowl you mix everything in, so cleanup is almost embarrassingly easy.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, making it the kind of recipe that keeps giving long after dinner is over.
02 -
- Undercooking the pasta by one minute is the single most important thing you can do because it finishes cooking in the oven and turns out perfectly tender instead of falling apart.
- Do not skip the resting time because the sauce thickens as it cools slightly and the whole dish holds together better when you serve it.
03 -
- Toss the hot drained pasta with a tiny splash of olive oil before mixing in the sauce so it does not clump together while you prepare the rest.
- If your pesto has been sitting in the fridge, stir it well before measuring because the oil separates and you want an even ratio of basil to oil in every spoonful.