Hen Pasta Casserole | Diethood

This straightforward hen pasta casserole is a satisfying dinner recipe crammed with colourful greens, juicy hen, and wealthy, tacky layers of penne. 

Who’s hungry? This creamy, tacky weeknight hen pasta casserole is the proper household dinner with leftovers to spare. Juicy hen items mixed with tender veggies, candy cherry tomatoes, and penne come collectively in a wealthy and creamy baked pasta that’s assured to be a brand new favourite!

My daughter Aleksandra completely loves this pasta bake. It’s her go-to consolation meals after a busy day of college and dance follow. Watching her get pleasure from each chew makes it much more particular for me!

Why We Love This Pasta Casserole

Filled with colour and taste. This baked penne pasta is crammed with recent and colourful greens and juicy hen, cooked in a flavorful cream cheese sauce with garlic and herbs.

Filter your crisper drawer. A pasta casserole recipe is tremendous versatile. It’s among the finest methods to make use of up the greens you will have in your fridge. This recipe makes use of carrots, mushrooms, and tomatoes, however you possibly can change up the elements relying on what’s readily available. 

Make-ahead. Put together your casserole the night time earlier than, and have it wrapped and able to bake for last-minute dinners.

What You’ll Want

Try the important thing elements right here, together with some useful notes and substitutions. Bear in mind to scroll to the recipe card for the complete quantities and particulars.

• Pasta – Penne is my go-to, however you can also make this pasta bake with any sort of pasta you’d like (see beneath). Be at liberty to make use of common or whole-wheat pasta.
• Olive Oil and Butter – For sautéing. Be at liberty to make use of all oil or all butter should you choose.
• Hen – Skinless boneless hen breasts or thighs, chopped into cubes earlier than you begin.
• Mushrooms – Any selection you favor, corresponding to brown or white mushrooms, cremini, or portobello (or no mushrooms in any respect, should you aren’t a fan).
• Garlic – Freshly minced garlic has one of the best taste. You may adapt the variety of cloves to style.
• Carrot – Chopped into bite-sized rounds.
• Broth – Low-sodium vegetable broth or hen broth.
• Seasonings – Garlic powder and Italian seasoning, to season the sauce.
• Flour – All-purpose flour helps thicken the sauce. You too can cornstarch, or arrowroot powder to make the sauce gluten-free.
• Milk and Cream Cheese – Entire or 2% milk, together with a package deal of cream cheese (you’ll wish to use the sort that is available in bricks).
• Tomatoes – I take advantage of cherry tomatoes. When you’re utilizing bigger tomatoes, cube them up first.
• Cheese – Freshly shredded mozzarella and freshly grated parmesan. You too can use one other melty cheese, like cheddar.
• Parsley – For garnish.

The way to Make This Hen Pasta Casserole

Let’s run by way of a fast step-by-step to make this tasty creamy pasta casserole with juicy hen.

1. Cook dinner the elements. Boil the penne pasta. In the meantime, get your hen scorching alongside mushrooms, garlic, and carrots in a big skillet with butter and olive oil.
2. Make the sauce. Season a bowl of broth with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Whisk in flour, and pour the inventory into the skillet together with some milk. Simmer for a minute, then soften within the cream cheese. 
3. Mix. Toss the pasta within the hen and sauce combination, and add tomatoes. Combine once more after which switch the coated pasta to a casserole dish.
4. Bake. Bake the casserole below foil at 350ºF for about half-hour. Afterward, take away the foil, add shredded cheese, and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes uncovered.
5. Serve! Let your pasta bake stand for a bit, then plate up with a aspect of salad and dig in.

Serving Strategies

This hen pasta casserole is an all-in-one meal, or you possibly can serve it with a easy aspect of fluffy dinner rolls and crunchy kale salad for a well-rounded dinner. This mild skillet cornbread is one other agency favourite in our home! Or, whereas the oven is scorching, bake up a aspect of oven-roasted asparagus or crispy roasted inexperienced beans to deliver much more veggies to the meal.

Storing Leftovers and Reheating

Retailer any leftover casserole hermetic within the fridge for as much as 2-3 days, or freeze it for as much as 3 months. Defrost the pasta within the fridge earlier than reheating within the microwave or on the stovetop.

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