Description
Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake is an incredible ultimate recipe that combines pasta, chicken, and a rich pesto sauce for a delightful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups uncooked pasta (penne or rotini)
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
- 1 cup pesto sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked chicken, pesto sauce, heavy cream, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix well.
- Add the cooked pasta to the chicken and pesto mixture, stirring until fully combined.
- Fold in half of the mozzarella cheese and cherry tomatoes.
- Transfer the mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Spread evenly.
- Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool for about 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with fresh basil if desired.
Notes
- This dish can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.
- Feel free to add vegetables like spinach or bell peppers for extra nutrition.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 43g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 85mg