This easy chicken pasta casserole is a satisfying dinner recipe filled with colorful vegetables, juicy chicken, and rich, cheesy layers of penne.
Who’s hungry? This creamy, cheesy weeknight chicken pasta casserole is the perfect family dinner with leftovers to spare. Juicy chicken pieces combined with tender veggies, sweet cherry tomatoes, and penne come together in a rich and creamy baked pasta that’s guaranteed to be a new favorite!
My daughter Aleksandra absolutely loves this pasta bake. It’s her go-to comfort food after a busy day of school and dance practice. Watching her enjoy every bite makes it even more special for me!
Why We Love This Pasta Casserole
Full of color and flavor. This baked penne pasta is filled with fresh and colorful vegetables and juicy chicken, cooked in a flavorful cream cheese sauce with garlic and herbs.
Clear out your crisper drawer. A pasta casserole recipe is super flexible. It’s one of the best ways to use up the vegetables you have in your fridge. This recipe uses carrots, mushrooms, and tomatoes, but you can change up the ingredients depending on what’s on hand.
Make-ahead. Prepare your casserole the night before, and have it wrapped and ready to bake for last-minute dinners.
What You’ll Need
Check out the key ingredients here, along with some helpful notes and substitutions. Remember to scroll to the recipe card for the full amounts and details.
- Pasta – Penne is my go-to, but you can make this pasta bake with any type of pasta you’d like (see below). Feel free to use regular or whole-wheat pasta.
- Olive Oil and Butter – For sautéing. Feel free to use all oil or all butter if you prefer.
- Chicken – Skinless boneless chicken breasts or thighs, chopped into cubes before you start.
- Mushrooms – Any variety you prefer, such as brown or white mushrooms, cremini, or portobello (or no mushrooms at all, if you aren’t a fan).
- Garlic – Freshly minced garlic has the best flavor. You can adapt the number of cloves to taste.
- Carrot – Chopped into bite-sized rounds.
- Broth – Low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth.
- Seasonings – Garlic powder and Italian seasoning, to season the sauce.
- Flour – All-purpose flour helps thicken the sauce. You can also cornstarch, or arrowroot powder to make the sauce gluten-free.
- Milk and Cream Cheese – Whole or 2% milk, along with a package of cream cheese (you’ll want to use the kind that comes in bricks).
- Tomatoes – I use cherry tomatoes. If you’re using larger tomatoes, dice them up first.
- Cheese – Freshly shredded mozzarella and freshly grated parmesan. You can also use another melty cheese, like cheddar.
- Parsley – For garnish.
What Type of Pasta Should I Use?
This pasta bake works great with penne pasta or another short tubular pasta, like ziti or rigatoni. Of course, you can use any type of pasta you have in the pantry. Try bowtie pasta, conchiglie, fusilli, or even long varieties like spaghetti or linguine. For another fun pasta casserole made with spaghetti, try my baked turkey tetrazzini.
How to Make This Chicken Pasta Casserole
Let’s run through a quick step-by-step to make this tasty creamy pasta casserole with juicy chicken.
- Cook the ingredients. Boil the penne pasta. Meanwhile, get your chicken sizzling alongside mushrooms, garlic, and carrots in a large skillet with butter and olive oil.
- Make the sauce. Season a bowl of broth with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Whisk in flour, and pour the stock into the skillet along with some milk. Simmer for a minute, then melt in the cream cheese.
- Combine. Toss the pasta in the chicken and sauce mixture, and add tomatoes. Mix again and then transfer the coated pasta to a casserole dish.
- Bake. Bake the casserole under foil at 350ºF for about 30 minutes. Afterward, remove the foil, add shredded cheese, and bake for another 8-10 minutes uncovered.
- Serve! Let your pasta bake stand for a bit, then plate up with a side of salad and dig in.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t overcook the pasta. Make sure to only boil your pasta al dente (with bite) according to the package directions, and don’t cook it too soft to start. Overcooked pasta will continue to bake in the oven and become mushy.
- Add more veggies. Other tasty vegetables include diced zucchini, broccoli, bell peppers, frozen peas, and onions, or greens like kale and spinach.
- Different protein. Substitute the chicken pieces with Italian sausage or shrimp.
- Use pre-cooked ingredients. Dice up leftover baked chicken breast or use cooked shredded chicken and stir it into the sauce. You can do the same with any pre-cooked vegetables that you have on hand. It’ll save the time it takes to sauté!
- Assemble the casserole ahead. Get a headstart on dinner and prepare this casserole right up until you would bake it. Instead, wrap it tightly and place it in the fridge overnight. It’ll be ready to bake the following day. See below for instructions on how to store leftovers.
Serving Suggestions
This chicken pasta casserole is an all-in-one meal, or you can serve it with a simple side of fluffy dinner rolls and crunchy kale salad for a well-rounded dinner. This light skillet cornbread is another firm favorite in our house! Or, while the oven is hot, bake up a side of oven-roasted asparagus or crispy roasted green beans to bring even more veggies to the meal.
Storing Leftovers and Reheating
Store any leftover casserole airtight in the fridge for up to 2-3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Defrost the pasta in the fridge before reheating in the microwave or on the stovetop.
More Chicken Pasta Recipes to Try
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Preheat oven to 350ºF.
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Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box.
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Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet; add chicken, mushrooms, garlic and carrots; cook until heated through, and carrots are fork tender.
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In the meantime, in a small mixing bowl whisk together broth, salt, pepper, garlic powder, italian seasoning and flour; whisk until completely combined.
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Add to skillet with chicken and stir. Stir in milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
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Add cream cheese and continue to cook until cream cheese is smooth, stirring frequently.
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Remove from heat. Add pasta mixture, chicken mixture and tomatoes; toss to coat.
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Transfer to a 3-quart casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until heated through.
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Remove foil, stir mixture and sprinkle with cheeses. Continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
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Remove from oven and let stand 5 to 8 minutes.
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Serve.
Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 280mg | Potassium: 295mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2125IU | Vitamin C: 7.1mg | Calcium: 206mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
