Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake (Print Version)
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 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 cheese
11 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Garnish
12 - Fresh basil leaves (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a large 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 according to package directions. Drain well and set aside.
03 - While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the seasoned chicken pieces and 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, 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 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 the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown on top.
07 - Remove from the oven and let the bake rest for 5 minutes to allow the sauce to set slightly. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired, then serve warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The pesto cream sauce coats every single piece of pasta so nothing tastes plain or forgotten.
- It reheats beautifully the next day, which means lunch is already handled and that is a small victory worth celebrating.
02 -
- Undercooking the pasta by one minute before baking is the single most important thing because it finishes cooking in the oven and comes out perfectly tender instead of falling apart.
- Letting the bake rest those five minutes before scooping keeps the sauce from running everywhere and makes it look like you planned the whole thing.
03 -
- Taste your pesto before adding salt to anything else because some store bought pestos are already quite salty and you cannot take it out once it is in there.
- Shredding your own mozzarella from a block melts far more smoothly than the pre shredded bags, which are coated in anti caking agents that leave a grainy texture.