Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta

No ratings yet

Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta

This creamy pesto chicken pasta is an easy one-dish dinner loaded with tender chicken, penne pasta, spinach, cherry tomatoes, pesto, and melted cheese. Everything bakes together for a creamy, flavorful meal with very little cleanup.

Prep Time15

Active Time50

Resting time5

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: 13 x 9, comfort food, easy dinner, one dish

Yield:

Calories: 590kcal

Author: Sweet Ordeal

Materials

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup pesto
12 oz. uncooked penne pasta (or rotini or ziti)
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
3 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1 1/2 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken breast, cubed into 1" pieces
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Optional: chopped fresh basil for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Add the broth, milk, and pesto directly to the baking dish. Whisk until well combined. Add the uncooked penne and stir well, making sure the pasta is coated in the pesto mixture and mostly submerged.
Sprinkle ½ cup of the mozzarella evenly over the pasta.
Layer the tomatoes and spinach in an even layer.
Season chicken with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Layer chicken on top in even layer.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove and sprinkle remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan cheese on top. Bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Remove and rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped basil. Enjoy!

Notes

You may notice a little extra liquid at the bottom of the dish when it first comes out of the oven. Don't worry—that's part of the plan. As the pasta rests, it continues to absorb the flavorful sauce. And if you're lucky enough to have leftovers, the pasta soaks up even more of that goodness overnight, making the leftovers especially delicious.

Nutrition