Chicken Caprese Pasta Bake
Chicken caprese pasta bake is an easy freezer-friendly meal that can be baked up fresh, or from frozen! A weeknight dinner that bakes up in 40 minutes, and whole family will enjoy!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time1 hour hr
Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 371kcal
- 2 ½ cups penne uncooked; 7 ¾ oz; 225 g; see note 1
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces; see note 2
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce half a jar; 325 mL/11 oz
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded
Cook pasta - Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Combine - Heat oven to 400°F. Spray a 9 x 9 inch baking dish with spray oil. Mix together the cooked penne, chicken, marinara sauce and cherry tomatoes. Spread it evenly in the baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake - Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Remove cover and bake uncovered for 10 minutes.
Serve - Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes and serve with fresh basil and a drizzle of balsamic reduction!
- this recipe has only been tested with (regular) penne pasta. Swap shapes at your own risk.
- chicken breasts risk drying out in this recipe. Chicken can easily be omitted for a vegetarian version of this recipe.
To assemble ahead and freeze
Follow the steps above up to step 2. Cover with foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
To bake from frozen - make sure to freeze in a metal baking dish (not glass). Place frozen pasta bake directly into the oven at 350°F. Cook covered for 50 minutes and uncovered for 10 minutes.
Storage (cooked) - This recipe is so easy to double up in two 9 x 9 inch pans and freeze one portion!
- Cool completely after baking.
- Store in the fridge in the baking dish (covered), or portioned out into meal prep containers for up to 4 days (best consumed within the first 2-3 days to avoid mushy tortillas)
- Reheat in the microwave until steaming hot, or reheat entire casserole (covered) in a 350°F oven for at least 15-20 minutes
Serving: 1/6 of batch | Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 572mg | Potassium: 622mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 715IU | Vitamin C: 15.6mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 2.3mg