This pesto chicken pasta bake is creamy, dreamy and just simply delightful! Creamy layers of a homemade white sauce, paired with basil pesto and shredded chicken, this pasta recipe will instantly turn into a family favourite after just one bite!
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Ingredients For Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake
- Chicken - Substitute with shredded chicken from a roast chicken, or speed up dinner and save time by grabbing a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.
- Stock - Instead of using chicken or vegetable stock, try using homemade bone broth!
- Heavy Cream - Heavy cream can be substituted for coconut milk, coconut cream or homemade cashew milk.
- Pesto - Any type of pesto can be used for this recipe; we use basil pesto.
- Add Veggies - Bulk up this dish and sneak some veggies in! Good veggies to add to this chicken pesto pasta are shredded carrots, roasted broccoli, cubed asparagus, green peas or onions!
A full list of ingredients and exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Special Diet Substitutions
- Dairy-Free - Replace the cream with coconut cream, use ¼ cup nutritional yeast in place of the Parmesan, top with plant-based cheese, or skip the cheese on top entirely.
- Vegan - Replace the chicken with cubed crispy tofu, or seitan, use olive oil or ghee in place of butter, use vegetable stock, replace parmesan cheese with ¼ cup nutritional yeast, use coconut cream, skip the cheese on top or top with plant-based cheese.
- Gluten-Free pasta and a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour substitute can be used to make this dish gluten-free. Ensure all spices, stocks and cheeses are certified gluten-free too.
How to Make Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a large pot, boil water and cook pasta to al dente.
In a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir to form a roux; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Switch to a whisk and slowly whisk in the stock until smooth. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens and begins to boil. Simmer 5-8 minutes, stirring regularly, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in cream, pesto, parmesan, and chili flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Step 2
Next, add the shredded chicken and cooked pasta to the sauce in the skillet. Stir well to completely coat the pasta and chicken with the sauce.
Step 3
Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top.
Step 4
Bake for 30 minutes until the pasta is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Top with diced scallions and serve.
Pro Tip: Serve with a golden brown loaf of baguette garlic bread to soak up all the delicious pesto sauce!
Helpful Tip
- If you wanted to prepare the noodles ahead of time, run cold water over the cooked noodles to stop them from cooking while you are getting the sauce ready.
- Reserve some pasta water from cooking the pasta. If your sauce turns out too thick, add a splash of that pasta water; it adds flavor and starch and will help the sauce stick to the noodles.
How To Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3 days. Reheat the pasta in a skillet over medium-low heat or the microwave until heated through.
FAQ's
Basil pesto is made from 4 basic ingredients: fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and pine nuts. Some varieties also use Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and even kale! There are a ton of different varieties and types of pestos available in the supermarket today. Feel free to find your favourite flavour of pesto and substitute that in this recipe, too!
Pesto is made with whole, fresh ingredients. Although it does contain a fair amount of extra virgin olive oil, it is generally pretty healthy when enjoyed in moderation.
No worries! Prepare the sauce in a regular deep skillet on the stovetop and transfer the sauce, shredded chicken and pasta noodles to a 9" x 13" baking dish. You may have to increase the baking time by 5 minutes or so to account for the fact that the dish will not be preheated when you put it in the oven.
To make this creamy basil pesto pasta a freezer meal, prepare as stated in the directions above, but do not bake.
Combine the prepared sauce with the shredded chicken and cooked pasta and place in a freezer and oven-safe container, like a glass baking dish or aluminum pan. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top, label and freeze. Use within 3 months.
To cook: Preheat the oven to 375°F and cook from frozen for 60-75 minutes until the pasta is bubbly and browned on top.
If you made this Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating, a 💬 comment and share it on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook!
📖 Recipe
Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2 Chicken Breasts cooked and shredded
- 500 grams Pasta of choice
- 3 Tablespoons Butter
- 5-6 cloves Garlic minced
- 3 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
- 3 cups Stock chicken or vegetable
- 1 cup Cream
- ½ cup Basil Pesto
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1 cup Cheddar Cheese grated
- Pinch Red Pepper Flakes optional
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 2 Scallions diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large pot, cook the pasta to al dente. While the pasta is cooking, this is a good time to prepare the sauce. (Although, if you wanted to prepare the noodles ahead of time, then run cold water over the cooked noodles to stop the cooking while you are getting the sauce ready and set aside)
- Place a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. After the butter has melted, add the minced garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle the flour over the top of the butter and garlic mixture and stir until it is fully incorporated. It will be clumpy at this stage. Cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Whisking constantly, pour in the stock. Continue whisking until everything has come together and the sauce has begun to boil.
- Boil over medium heat, stirring regularly for 5-8 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and add the cream, basil pesto, parmesan cheese, and red chili flakes. Stir until completely combined and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the shredded chicken and cooked pasta to the sauce, stirring well to combine. Top with cheddar cheese and bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is melted. After baking, top with diced scallions and serve.
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Notes
- If you don't have an oven-safe skillet, prepare the sauce in a regular deep skillet on the stovetop and transfer the sauce, shredded chicken and pasta noodles to a 9" x 13" baking dish.
- Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To make this dish into a freezer meal, prepare all the way up until the baking step, and place in a freezer & oven-safe container, like an aluminum baking pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months, bake from frozen for 60-75 minutes until the pasta is browned on top.
- Any kind of stock can be used for this recipe, chicken, vegetable or bone broth our our top choices!
- Heavy cream can be substituted for coconut milk or coconut cream.
- Reserve some pasta water from cooking the pasta. If your sauce turns out too thick, add a splash of that pasta water; it adds flavor and starch and will help the sauce stick to the noodles.
- To make this dish dairy-free, replace the cream with coconut cream, use a ¼ cup of nutritional yeast in place of the Parmesan, top with plant-based cheese, or skip the cheese on top entirely.
- To make this dish vegan, replace the chicken with cubed crispy tofu, or seitan, use olive oil or ghee in place of butter, use vegetable stock, replace parmesan cheese with ¼ cup nutritional yeast, use coconut cream, skip the cheese on top or top with plant-based cheese.
- To make this dish gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta noodles and a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour; make sure to also ensure all other ingredients have been prepared in a gluten-free facility or are certified gluten-free.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Kellie says
Oh snap!!’
Jessica says
We hope that you like it!
Maureen L. says
I made the basil pesto and chicken baked pasta for dinner tonight and it was amazing! The recipe was easy to follow and it came together quite quickly. The baked pasta is so creamy and packed full of flavour. My husband and I both ate second helpings even though we were already full - it was that good! I will definitely be making this delicious dish again!!
Jessica says
We are SO happy that you loved this dish! It is one of our favourites too!
Eddie says
This is an amazing pasta recipe that we always fall back to for a great meal.
Jessica says
I developed this recipe in 2018 when I started Whipped It Up, and it still holds strong as one of my favourite recipes. It is so flavorful, easy to make and absolutely delicious!