Description
Creamy baked pasta with tender chicken, basil pesto cream sauce, spinach, and golden melted mozzarella.
Ingredients
Scale
- 10.5 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta
- 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3.5 ounces baby spinach optional
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water until slightly under al dente then drain.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet and cook seasoned chicken pieces until golden and cooked through then remove from heat.
- Melt butter in the same skillet and sauté garlic until fragrant.
- Stir in heavy cream and milk then simmer until slightly thickened.
- Mix in pesto and Parmesan cheese until smooth.
- Add cooked chicken, pasta, and spinach then toss until coated.
- Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle mozzarella and extra Parmesan over the top.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese becomes golden and bubbly.
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Cook pasta slightly under al dente so it finishes cooking in the oven.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for smoother melting.
- Add a splash of milk when reheating leftovers to restore the creamy texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 120mg