Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake
Creamy, cheesy, and oh-so comforting this pasta bake is made with tender rotisserie chicken, shredded white cheddar cheese, and garlicky basil pesto.
Ingredients
- ½ lb short cut pasta macaroni, cellentani, or rotini
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken shredded
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups cream whole milk, or half & half
- 1½ cups shredded white cheddar divided
- ¼ cup pesto
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped
- Ricotta cheese for topping
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Optional: reserved pasta water as needed for thinning
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta water, then drain and set pasta aside.
- In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour until smooth (no lumps or browning). Slowly add cream, ½ cup at a time, whisking until thickened (about 5–7 minutes).
- Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg, 1 cup of white cheddar, pesto, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Stir in shredded chicken, spinach, and cooked pasta. If needed, add a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce. Taste and season again if needed.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Transfer pasta mixture to a greased 9x9 baking dish. Top with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until bubbly and golden on top.
- Finish with dollops of ricotta and freshly cracked pepper. Serve hot.
Notes
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered tightly or in an airtight container, for up to 4 days.
- Don't brown the roux. Cook it for only a minute or so.
- Grate your own cheese from the block. Freshly grated cheese melts better!
- To make gluten-free, use your favorite gluten-free short cut pasta and a 1:1 gluten-free flour for the roux.
- Nutrition information is an estimate only.
Nutrition
Calories: 620kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 35gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 4g
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