Creamy Pesto Chicken Bake (Printable)
A comforting baked pasta dish featuring tender chicken, creamy pesto sauce, and melted cheese for a family dinner.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 12 ounces penne or rigatoni
→ Chicken
02 - 10 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
→ Sauce
03 - 3/4 cup basil pesto
04 - 1/3 cup heavy cream
05 - 3 tablespoons milk
→ Cheese & Topping
06 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ Optional Add-ins
10 - 3.5 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - 2.5 ounces baby spinach
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
03 - While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced chicken, season generously with salt and pepper, and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooked pasta and chicken with the basil pesto, heavy cream, milk, and half of the mozzarella cheese. Fold in the cherry tomatoes and baby spinach if desired, ensuring the sauce thoroughly coats all ingredients.
05 - Transfer the coated pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan cheese evenly over the top.
06 - Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted into a golden crust.
07 - Remove from the oven and allow the dish to rest for 5 minutes to set before slicing. Garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You will feel like a kitchen genius because the creamy pesto sauce makes it taste like you spent hours reducing a complicated broth.
- It takes less than an hour from start to finish, making it the perfect rescue mission for busy weeknights when takeout feels tempting.
02 -
- Cooking your pasta until it is completely soft before baking will turn your beautiful bake into a tragic, mushy mess.
- Letting the dish rest for a full five minutes out of the oven prevents the bubbling sauce from burning your tongue and helps it set perfectly.
03 -
- Grease your baking dish with a little butter instead of cooking spray to give the edges a gorgeous, golden brown crunch.
- Mixing a tiny splash of the starchy pasta water into your cream sauce before baking creates a magical emulsion that clings to every bite.