Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake (Print Version)

Crispy-topped pasta bake with tender chicken, basil pesto sauce, and melted mozzarella cheese ready in 45 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz penne or rigatoni

→ Chicken

02 - 2 medium chicken breasts (about 12 oz), diced

→ Pesto & Sauce

03 - 1/2 cup basil pesto (store-bought or homemade)
04 - 1 1/4 cups tomato passata or marinara sauce
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tbsp olive oil

→ Cheese

07 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella
08 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Seasoning

09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
10 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 390°F.
02 - Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 5–7 minutes until cooked through and lightly golden. Add minced garlic and cook for another 1 minute.
04 - Stir in the tomato passata (or marinara sauce) and half of the pesto. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, then remove from heat.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, chicken mixture, half of the mozzarella, and remaining pesto. Stir gently until evenly mixed.
06 - Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
07 - Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden and the sauce is bubbling.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes before garnishing with fresh basil and serving.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The combination of bright basil pesto and savory tomato sauce creates layers of flavor that somehow taste even better the next day
  • Everything happens in one pan plus a baking dish which means less cleanup and more time actually eating
  • That moment when you pull it from the oven and the cheese is perfectly golden and bubbling makes the whole house feel cozy
02 -
  • Undercook the pasta by a minute or two because it will absorb liquid and continue cooking in the oven, turning perfectly tender instead of mushy
  • Layer half the pesto into the sauce and stir the rest into the pasta mixture so every bite gets that basil punch without being overwhelming
  • Letting the baked dish rest for those few minutes seems impossible when it smells so good, but it makes serving so much easier
03 -
  • Use whole milk mozzarella if you can find it because it melts into that perfect, gooey texture that low-fat versions just cannot achieve
  • Stir a splash of pasta water into your sauce before combining everything, especially if it seems too thick
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