Creamy Chicken Pasta Bake is an easy and delicious casserole that can be made ahead of time. Just cover and chill it up to 24 hours, then bake whenever you want, adding 10 minutes or so to the baking time.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 (24-ounce) jar pasta sauce
- 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, cubed
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 3-quart casserole with nonstick spray and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. When almost al dente, drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Rinse pasta with cold water, drain, and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Then add bell pepper; cook and stir for 3 minutes longer. Add chicken and pasta sauce; simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add cream cheese and stir for a minute or two until melted. Add reserved pasta cooking water if needed to make the sauce creamy. Stir in Italian seasoning.
Add pasta to chicken mixture and pour into prepared casserole. Cover with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and bake for 20-25 minutes until hot and bubbly.
