Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake: 1 Amazing Comforting Dish
Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake is a comforting oven-baked dish with tender chicken, pasta, and a rich pesto cream sauce topped with melted cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
12 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound chicken breast, diced
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup pesto
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup spinach (optional)
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a baking dish.
- Cook pasta until al dente and drain.
- Sauté onion in olive oil, then add chicken and cook through.
- Add garlic and cook briefly.
- Stir in cream, pesto, and Parmesan.
- Add spinach and tomatoes if using.
- Mix in cooked pasta until coated.
- Transfer to baking dish and top with mozzarella.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until bubbly and golden.
- Let rest briefly before serving.
Notes
Do not overcook pasta before baking to maintain the best texture.