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Close up shot of chicken caprese pasta bake in white casserole dish
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4 from 9 votes

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
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 371kcal

Equipment

  • 9 x 9 Inch Baking Dish

Ingredients

  • 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

To serve

Instructions

  • Cook pasta - Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
    cooked penne pasta in colander sitting in a pot
  • 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!

Video

Notes

  1. this recipe has only been tested with (regular) penne pasta. Swap shapes at your own risk.
  2. 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!
  1. Cool completely after baking.
  2. 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)
  3. Reheat in the microwave until steaming hot, or reheat entire casserole (covered) in a 350°F oven for at least 15-20 minutes
 

Nutrition

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