Cheesy Baked Pesto Chicken Pasta

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.

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
• Baked Shrimp, Feta, and Butternut Squash Orzo Pasta
• Walnut, Brown Butter, Pecorino Romano Pasta
• Creamy Mushroom Chicken Pasta
• Creamy Bacon, Mushroom, & Parmesan Tortellini Soup
• Sage + White Cheddar Mac & Cheese Stuffed Acorn Squash

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