This recipe is a product of a BUNCH of cravings. It needed to be something with pasta, something very cheesy, something with a splash of green, and most of all, something deeply comforting.
All of those cravings came perfectly together and formed this beauty- Cheesy Baked Pesto Chicken Pasta.
The most comforting cheesy baked pasta filled with tangy pesto, rotisserie chicken, fresh spinach, loads of white cheddar cheese, topped with creamy, cool ricotta.
- Total Time– 1 hour
- Servings– 4

Pesto Chicken Pasta Ingredients:
- Short Cut Pasta- short cut pastas with grooves such as macaroni, cellentini, or rotini pasta work best to catch all of the cheesy sauce.
- Rotisserie Chicken- shredded and de-boned. Both the light meat and dark meat will work. Add a bit of chopped up chicken skin for extra flavor.
- White Roux- this white roux will be made out of a mixture of salted butter & all purpose flour.
- Cream- such as whole milk or half & half. When added to the white roux and whisked over heat the mixture will become thick and create a Béchamel sauce. This will be the base of your pesto cheese sauce.
- White Cheddar Cheese
- Pesto- a tangy blend of crushed garlic, pine nuts, basil leaves, salty cheese such as Parmesan, coarse salt, and olive oil.
- Fresh Spinach- for a bit of green.
- Nutmeg- a warm, nutty spice that brings depth and balance to this baked pasta dish.
- Ricotta Cheese- a mild, creamy, soft Italian Cheese.
Substitutions & Variations:
- Instead of rotisserie chicken-try using a different protein such as ground sausage. Simply brown sausage in a frying pan and drain of grease on a paper towel before adding to cheese sauce.
- Try using different cheeses– Muenster, mozzarella cheese, and shredded Italian blend all pair great with pesto.
- Instead of jarred pesto– make your own homemade version! (See notes below)
How to Make Homemade Pesto:
- To make homemade pesto combine 1 cup fresh basil leaves, 1 tbsp pine nuts or walnuts, and 1-2 cloves garlic in a food processor.
- Pulse until ingredients are minced. With food processor on low, slowly pour in 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil. Add 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and pulse to combine.

Equipment Needed:
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How to Make Cheesy Pesto Chicken Pasta:
- Cook Pasta: bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add short cut pasta to water and cook according to the directions on package. Once cooked, reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water then use a colander to drain remaining water and set pasta aside.
- Make Cheese & Pesto Sauce:
- In a large pot, melt salted butter over medium-low heat.
- Once melted, whisk in flour until smooth and there are no lumps left. Careful not to let this mixture brown. Whisk in cream 1/2 cup at a time and continue whisking until mixture has thickened to the consistency of gravy, about 5-7minutes.
- Once thickened, remove pot from heat and stir in ground nutmeg, 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese, pesto, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir until cheese has melted and fully combined.
- Construct & Bake:
- Pre-heat oven to 375F.
- Mix shredded rotisserie chicken, roughly chopped spinach, and pasta into cheese mixture. If mixture is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water. Add salt & pepper to taste.
- Transfer cheesy pasta into a 9×9 baking dish and top with remaining shredded cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes until cheese has melted.
- Top with creamy ricotta cheese and fresh cracked pepper.

Pesto Pasta Leftovers:
- When properly stored in an airtight container, this Chicken Pesto Pasta will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, heat oven to 350F, transfer pasta to an oven-safe baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake 15-20 minutes until warmed through.
Tips & Recipe Notes:
- For a crispy top, pop pasta dish under the broiler for a minute or so after baking. Keep an eye on it, as cheese under the broiler can quickly go from crisp to burnt.
- Instead of jarred pesto, you can make your own homemade version! See notes above for how.

More Pasta Dinner Ideas You Will Love:
- Cheesy Pumpkin & Sage Sausage Stuffed Pasta Shells– jumbo Pasta Shells stuffed with savory sage sausage & creamy ricotta cheese covered in a lush pumpkin sauce and melty Italian cheese. The perfect fall comfort weeknight dinner.
- Baked Shrimp, Feta, and Butternut Squash Orzo Pasta– sweet butternut squash paired with tangy feta cheese, a bit of spinach for greenery, and perfectly cooked shrimp.
- Walnut, Brown Butter, Pecorino Romano Pasta– this simple 6-ingredient Walnut, Brown Butter, and Pecorino Romano Pasta is creamy, cheesy, full of crunchy walnuts, and nutty brown butter.

Cheesy Baked Chicken Pesto Pasta
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Cooking Spoons
- Colander
- 9×9 Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb short cut pasta such as macaroni, cellantini, or rotini
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken de-boned and shredded
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups cream whole milk or half & half
- 1.5 cups shredded white cheddar
- 1/4 cup pesto
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped
- Ricotta Cheese for topping
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add short cut pasta to water and cook according to the directions on package. Once cooked, reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water then use a colander to drain remaining water and set pasta aside.
- Make Cheese & Pesto Sauce: in a large pot, melt salted butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, whisk in flour until smooth and there are no lumps left. Careful not to let this mixture brown. Whisk in cream 1/2 cup at a time and continue whisking until mixture has thickened to the consistency of gravy, about 5-7minutes. Once thickened, remove pot from heat and stir in ground nutmeg, 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese, pesto, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir until cheese has melted and fully combined.
- Construct & Bake: Pre-heat oven to 375F. Mix shredded rotisserie chicken, roughly chopped spinach, and pasta into cheese mixture. If mixture is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water. Add salt & pepper to taste. Transfer cheesy pasta into a 9×9 baking dish and top with remaining shredded cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes until cheese has melted. Top with creamy ricotta cheese and fresh cracked pepper.
Notes
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