Pesto chicken pasta bake combines cooked pasta and chicken with basil pesto and cream, tops it with mozzarella and Parmesan, and bakes just until bubbly, ready in about 35 minutes. Because the pasta and chicken are already cooked before assembly, the oven time is mainly about melting the cheese and warming the dish through rather than cooking anything from raw.
Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- For the Pasta Bake:
- 2 cups cooked pasta
- 2 cups cooked chicken (shredded or diced)
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- 1 cup cooking cream or heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional:
- Cherry tomatoes
- Spinach leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
- In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta and chicken.
- Add pesto, cream, and chicken broth, then mix well.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer mixture to a baking dish.
- Top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until bubbly and golden.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- Add vegetables like spinach or tomatoes for freshness.
- Do not overbake to keep it creamy.
- Store leftovers in fridge up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- 1 serving
- Calories
- 520
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 480 mg
- Fat
- 26 g
- Saturated Fat
- 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 40 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Protein
- 32 g
- Cholesterol
- 95 mg
Why you'll love this
- Mixing the pesto, cream, and broth directly with the pasta and chicken before baking, rather than layering them, means every piece of pasta is coated in sauce instead of some ending up dry.
- Keeping the bake time to 20-25 minutes, just until bubbly, is intentional - basil pesto can turn dull and lose its bright flavor if baked too long at high heat.
Tips for the best result
- Don't overbake, as the recipe's own notes specify, to keep the dish creamy and preserve the pesto's fresh flavor rather than letting it dry out or turn muted.
- Use rotisserie chicken, per the recipe's own notes, since this keeps assembly quick given the pasta also needs to already be cooked.
Troubleshooting
The pesto flavor tastes muted after baking.
This can happen if the dish bakes longer than needed. Pull it from the oven as soon as it's bubbly and golden rather than leaving it in for extra time, since basil's flavor fades with prolonged heat.
The dish looks dry in spots.
Make sure the pasta and chicken are fully coated in the pesto-cream mixture before transferring to the baking dish, since any dry pockets at that stage will stay dry after baking.
Pasta bake turns out too dry.
the likely culprit is overcooked pasta that absorbed too much liquid. Next time, cook it even more al dente before baking.
The recipe's own notes say to store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
The recipe's own notes suggest cherry tomatoes or spinach leaves as optional additions for freshness.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make this Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake ahead of time?
Absolutely! Assemble everything but don’t bake it. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, then add an extra 10-15 minutes to the baking time when cooking from cold.
What pasta shapes work best for this recipe?
Short, textured pasta shapes like penne, rigatoni, or fusilli work wonderfully as they catch and hold the creamy pesto sauce in their ridges and crevices.
Can I use rotisserie chicken to save time?
Yes! Shredded rotisserie chicken is a fantastic time-saver. Simply skip the chicken cooking step and fold the shredded chicken directly into your pasta mixture.
Is there a dairy-free alternative for this recipe?
You can use dairy-free pesto, plant-based cream, and vegan cheese alternatives. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
How do I know when my Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake is done?
It’s ready when the edges are bubbling, the cheese is melted and golden, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the center.
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