Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake (Print View)
Baked penne with chicken, basil pesto, cream sauce, and melted mozzarella for a hearty family meal.
# 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 Steps:
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 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 (internal temperature reaches 165°F). Remove from heat.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained pasta, cooked chicken, basil pesto, heavy cream, minced garlic, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Toss everything together until the pasta and chicken are evenly coated with the pesto cream sauce.
05 - Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top, followed by the grated Parmesan cheese.
06 - Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden on top. If desired, broil for the last 1 to 2 minutes for a deeper golden crust.
07 - Remove from the oven and let the bake rest for 5 minutes to allow the sauce to set. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired, then serve warm.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It takes one pot, one pan, and one baking dish, which means cleanup is almost nonexistent and that alone is worth celebrating.
- The cream and pesto sauce ratio is something I stumbled onto by accident and it creates this velvety coating that clings to every ridge of the pasta.
02 -
- Do not skip undercooking the pasta by one minute because it finishes cooking in the oven and overcooked pasta in a bake is a texture disappointment you cannot undo.
- Letting the bake rest those five minutes is not optional, I once served it straight from the oven and burned my mouth so badly I could not taste the second helping.
03 -
- Taste your pesto before adding salt to anything, because some brands are aggressively salty and you can easily over season the whole dish without realizing it.
- Shred your own cheese from a block instead of buying pre shredded bags, because the anti caking agents on bagged cheese prevent it from melting into that smooth, stretchy layer you see in your head.