Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake
A flavorful baked pasta dish featuring tender chicken, fresh spinach, roasted tomatoes, and a creamy pesto sauce, topped with melted cheese and garnished with basil.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 12 oz DeLallo Tortiglioni pasta or similar short pasta
Chicken
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
Oil
- 2 Tbsp oil from roasted tomato jar or extra-virgin olive oil
Spices & Seasonings
- 1.5 tsp Italian seasoning
- 0.5 tsp paprika
- 1.25 tsp salt, divided
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 large shallot finely chopped (or ½ cup chopped onion)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- Pinch red pepper flakes optional
Tomatoes & Greens
- 1 cup roasted red tomatoes chopped (or sun-dried tomatoes)
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
Sauces & Dairy
- 0.5 cup DeLallo pesto sauce
- 0.75 cup heavy cream
- 0.67 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese divided
- 1.25 cups torn mozzarella cheese
Garnish
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water until just shy of al dente; reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Toss chicken with oil, Italian seasoning, paprika, ¾ tsp salt, and pepper. Sauté until cooked through, then set aside.
- Sauté shallots in the same skillet until softened; add garlic and red pepper flakes, cook 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes and spinach; cook until spinach wilts. Stir in pesto, cream, cooked chicken, and pasta with some reserved water until combined and sauce thickens.
- Top with mozzarella and remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano; broil until cheese melts and is golden. Garnish with basil and serve.
Notes
For a lighter version, use less cheese and cream or substitute with low-fat options.