Make dinner time easy and delicious with this Chicken Pasta Bake! Packed with chicken and veggies, this cheesy dish is ready to enjoy in less than 45 minutes. Try out this cozy family favorite today!
Jump to:
Our family is a huge fan of pasta dinners. While our kids were in school, I found those meals to be the perfect ones to make during the week.
Pasta meals are generally inexpensive, easy to make, and delicious. Meals like chicken ranch pasta bake, buffalo chicken pasta, and ham and pasta casserole are a few of our favorites.
Why You Will Love this Cheesy Pasta Bake
We loaded this cheesy casserole with plenty of veggies and chicken. You are going to love how easy it is to assemble and how delicious it is. This comfort food always gets two thumbs up from everyone at our table.
- Easy Preparation - Chicken pasta bake is the perfect meal for busy weeknights. It's easy to make and can be on the table in 45 minutes.
- Family Friendly Meal - Kids and adults alike love it. It's a comforting and filling dish that brings everyone together around the dinner table.
- Comfort Food Classic - There's nothing quite like a gooey cheese casserole. It's warm and hearty and will give you that cozy feeling.
- Packed with Flavor - The combination of chicken, pasta, and a rich creamy cheese sauce creates a satisfying taste.
- Great Leftovers - You can have it for lunch or dinner the next day, saving you time and effort in the kitchen.
Key Ingredients
This chicken pasta casserole without canned soup comes together pretty quickly. I love to prep the ingredients ahead of time and keep them in containers in the refrigerator.
When you are ready for dinner, cook the sauce, and add all the prepped ingredients to the pot. Easy, peasy, and definitely cheesy!
- Pasta - Use your favorite pasta for this recipe. We love rotini noodles because the cheesy sauce tends to cling better.
- Veggies - A mixture of onion, green pepper, mushrooms, and diced tomatoes adds flavor.
- Roux - A homemade sauce made with flour, chicken broth, and plain Greek yogurt.
- Cheese - A mixture of shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese works well in this pasta. Feel free to use your favorite and change it up.
- Chicken - You can cook your own chicken or buy a rotisserie chicken from Sam's for quick meal prep. You could even use canned chicken if that's what you have on hand at the moment.
How to Make Chicken Pasta Bake
This cheesy chicken pasta bake recipe is simple to make and tastes amazing! The added yogurt adds more protein to the casserole.
- Prep noodles and veggies. Boil and drain the pasta according to the package directions. Dice all the vegetables.
- Sauté the veggies. Add all the chopped vegetables in a hot skillet with butter and cook for 2 minutes to soften them up. Add the garlic and sprinkle the veggies with flour and cook for another minute or two.
- Make a roux. Whisk in the chicken broth and stir it over medium heat until it thickens. Stir in the yogurt and some of the shredded cheese and stir until melted and creamy.
- Assemble the ingredients. Add pasta, chicken, and tomatoes and mix together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Spoon into a casserole dish. Spoon the creamy chicken mixture into a greased baking dish and top with more cheese.
- Bake and serve. Heat in the oven until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling on the sides. Broil the top, if desired.
BruCrew Tip: Short on time? Skip the extra bake time and stir the remaining cheese into the hot pasta right before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This pasta bake is a full meal on its own, but we love serving extra side dishes to vary the dinner. Here are a few favorites that we serve with it.
Storage Recommendations
In the Refrigerator - Once the baked casserole has cooled, cover and place in the refrigerator. The pasta will keep for 3-4 days.
To Reheat - Place single servings on a microwave safe plate, heat 1-2 minutes or until desired temperature is reached. For the full pan, remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes ahead of time. Cover with foil and place in a heated oven for 20-30 minutes or until the center is hot.
As a Freezer Meal - Place cooked pasta into a foil freezer container and top with remaining cheese and oregano. Cool on the counter for an hour, then refrigerate until chilled. Cover tightly and place in the freezer for 2-3 months. To bake, thaw in the refrigerator 24 hours ahead of time. Bake according to directions, adding 10-15 minutes.
Tips and Tricks
- Use a rotisserie chicken. Save time in the kitchen and buy an already cooked chicken instead of grilling or baking your own.
- Change up your pasta. Use any other shape that you prefer such as shells, bowtie, or penne pasta. Be sure to follow the package suggestions on how long to cook it for al dente.
- Add other vegetables. Try adding broccoli, baby spinach, asparagus, or mushrooms. Anything you love will work in this pasta bake.
- Vary your shredded cheese. Smoked gouda, Pepper Jack, and Monterey jack work well in a cheesy pasta. Feel free to get creative and use your favorite.
- Shred your cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating on it to keep it from clumping in the bag. This also can make it taste a little grainy when melted. You can avoid this by shredding your own cheese.
FAQs
Most baked pasta dishes require you to boil and drain your noodles ahead of time. Cook the pasta to al dente, then it will finish cooking in the oven as it bakes.
Yes, you can prepare all of it ahead of time. Place the covered casserole in the refrigerator before baking. It will keep for 2-3 days. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before baking. Add 10-15 extra minutes to the baking time.
Pre-packaged shredded cheese is coated with a starch that prevents it from clumping. This coating also keeps it from melting very well. Always grate a block of cheese for best results in your cheesy dinners.
Yes, you can. Prepare the pasta completely. Spoon it into a tin pan and let the pasta cool before topping it with the extra cheese. Cover tightly and freeze for 1-2 months. Thaw 24 hours ahead of time in the refrigerator. Cook until heated through.
More Easy Pasta Dinners
- Creamy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
- Stuffed Shells with white sauce
- Cheeseburger Skillet
- Skillet Ravioli
- Stuffed Shells with meat
- Chipotle Chicken Pasta
- Chicken Broccoli Lasagna
Do you love a recipe you tried from Inside BruCrew Life?
Please leave a 5-star ⭐️ rating and a review in the comments section below.
Recipe
Chicken Pasta Bake
Make dinner time easy and delicious with this Chicken Pasta Bake! Packed with chicken and veggies, this cheesy dish is ready to enjoy in less than 45 minutes. Try out this cozy family favorite today!
Ingredients
- 16 ounces pasta, cooked al dente
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced green pepper
- 2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 - 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained well
- 16 ounces cooked cubed chicken
- 1 teaspoon
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1-2 teaspoons dried oregano
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray.
- Place the onion, green pepper, and butter in a large skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in flour and cook for another minute or two. Whisk in the chicken broth. Stir until broth thickens slightly.
- Remove from the heat and add yogurt and 1 cup cheddar cheese and 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Stir until cheese is smooth and melted.
- Stir in the cooked pasta, garlic, chicken, and can of tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Spoon the pasta into the prepared dish. Top with the remaining cheese and sprinkle with oregano.
- Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Increase heat to broil and cook an additional 2 minutes to brown the top, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use a rotisserie chicken. Save time in the kitchen and buy an already cooked chicken instead of grilling or baking your own.
- Change up your pasta. Use any other shape that you prefer such as shells, bowtie, or penne pasta. Be sure to follow the package suggestions on how long to cook it for al dente.
- Add other vegetables. Try adding broccoli, baby spinach, asparagus, or mushrooms. Anything you love will work in this pasta bake.
- Vary your shredded cheese. Smoked gouda, Pepper Jack, and Monterey jack work well in a cheesy pasta. Feel free to get creative and use your favorite.
- Shred your cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating on it to keep it from clumping in the bag. This also can make it taste a little grainy when melted. You can avoid this by shredding your own cheese.
- Make this a freezer meal. Place cooked pasta into a foil freezer container and top with remaining cheese and oregano. Cool on the counter for an hour, then refrigerate until chilled. Cover tightly and place in the freezer for 2-3 months. To bake, thaw in the refrigerator 24 hours ahead of time. Bake according to directions, adding 10-15 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 399Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 710mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 33g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*This was first published March 2014. It was updated and republished June 2023.
Kelly
Made this for the first time tonight for dinner, and it won't be my last. This was sooo good!! Now that I've tried it once I can't wait to experiment with it a little, maybe using broccoli or some bacon, maybe chop up a little spinach. I love recipes where I can use whatever I have on hand at the time. You knocked it out of the park with this one, it was delicious! My husband was skeptical because it looked suspiciously like a casserole to him and he hates those, but he loved this recipe. Love your recipes Jocelyn!
AMY M WHITNEY
Made this for dinner tonight came out great and tasted good..
Teresa Eidson
I made this, doubled amount of chicken. Delish!
Natalie
Do I use cooked chicken cubes?
Jocelyn
The recipe says to use 2 cups grilled chicken cubes...so yes, you want to use cooked chicken. I hope that helps and you enjoy the pasta.
Janis Hardick
Hi, could you tell me the approximate serving size if this feeds 8 people. Would it be about a cup of pasta?
Looks yummy!
Jan
Jocelyn
To be honest, I'm not quite sure how much the serving is in cup size. We just usually get about 8 large scoops out of the pan. My guess is it's probably around 1 cup or maybe even a little more.
Aleta Carlberg
Can this be made without the tomatoes? My son does not like them.
Jocelyn
It sure can. You could always substitute red peppers instead of the tomatoes. Just add them when you add the green ones. I hope your family enjoys the pasta.
Annette
I love your recipes would it be possible to be on your email list.
Jocelyn
I am so happy that you are enjoying the recipes. If you click this link, you can sign up to receive the emails every time I share a new recipe. https://prodigious-artist-5979.ck.page/ae6d02dfb3
Heather Giardino
Where is the recipe? I can't find it in the post at all.
Jocelyn
I am so sorry about that. Today we had a major site issue that took down all the recipe cards. It has been fixed and everything should be showing again.
Nicole
My family loves this!! We substitute a can of Ro-tel tomatoes and chilies for the diced tomatoes for a little extra kick of flavor.
Jocelyn
We do that sometimes too because our youngest loves spicy food! I'm so glad to hear your family loves this pasta!!!