Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake (Printable)

Tender chicken, vibrant basil pesto, and gooey mozzarella baked to golden perfection in this satisfying Italian-American pasta casserole.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz penne or rigatoni pasta

→ Chicken

02 - 2 medium chicken breasts (about 12 oz), diced

→ Pesto & Sauce

03 - 1/2 cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade
04 - 1 1/4 cups tomato passata or marinara sauce
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Cheese

07 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
08 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Seasoning

09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
10 - Fresh basil leaves for garnish, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 390°F.
02 - Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 5-7 minutes until cooked through and lightly golden. Add minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute.
04 - Stir in the tomato passata or marinara sauce and half of the pesto. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, chicken mixture, half of the mozzarella, and remaining pesto. Stir gently until evenly mixed.
06 - Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
07 - Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden and the sauce is bubbling.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with fresh basil and serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in one dish, so cleanup is practically nonexistent.
  • The pesto and marinara create this unexpected flavor that tastes way more complicated than the effort required.
  • Leftovers actually get better the next day when the flavors settle into the pasta.
  • You can assemble it ahead and just pop it in the oven when people get hungry.
02 -
  • Do not fully cook the pasta before baking or it will turn to mush, aim for one minute under al dente.
  • Use a deep baking dish because shallow ones cause the sauce to dry out and the cheese to burn before the middle heats through.
  • Let the dish rest after baking so the sauce thickens slightly and doesn't run all over the plate when you serve it.
03 -
  • Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining, you can stir in a splash if the mixture seems dry before baking.
  • Grate your own mozzarella instead of buying pre-shredded because it melts smoother and tastes fresher.
  • Cover the dish with foil for the first 10 minutes if the cheese is browning too fast, then uncover to finish.
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