Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake

A large white cast iron skillet is filled with pesto chicken pasta, a serving spoon in the corner of the skillet sitting in a pool of creamy sauce.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake

This creamy pesto chicken pasta bake will instantly turn into a family favourite after just one bite!

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Total Time1 15

Course: Main Course, Pasta

Cuisine: American

Servings: Servings

Calories: 712kcal

Author: Jessica

Ingredients

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.

Video

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