Chicken Pasta Bake – What could be better than a creamy, cheesy, chicken-packed pasta dish with broccoli florets to boot? This family favorite meal is super simple and insanely delicious. It just may be the perfect midweek dinner. 😄
Whenever I can’t figure out what to have for dinner, I turn to this chicken pasta bake. It’s filling, it’s hearty, it comes together quickly, and everybody loves it. Did somebody say winner, winner, chicken dinner? 😆
Plus, it’s so easy to make variations of this recipe that even if I don’t have the exact ingredients, I can still use it as a guide to make something similar but just as delicious. See? It really is a midweek lifesaver. 😅
What Kind of Pasta Is in Chicken Pasta Bake?
I used fusilli pasta in this recipe, but the short answer is any pasta you want. Yes, literally, you can use anything from penne to fettuccine. Just choose your favorite, or grab a box of whatever is in the pantry and cook it according to the package instructions.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken – Chicken breast cut into cubes is my protein of choice, but you could use another cut of chicken if that’s what you have on hand.
- Broccoli – A few cups of broccoli florets add color and nutrients to this easy meal.
- Pasta – Two cups of cooked pasta go into this quick casserole.
- Sauce Ingredients – The creamy sauce contains onion and garlic, milk, chicken broth, butter, and a little flour to thicken it up.
- Seasonings – Creole seasoning, fresh thyme, and a healthy dose of S&P are all you need to get some amazing flavor.
- Cheese – The cheese really ties everything together and makes it super rich! A cup of shredded mozzarella will do the trick. 😉
How to Make Chicken Pasta Bake
Saute the Chicken
- Pasta – Cook your choice of pasta per package instructions. (Photo 1)
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper, followed by salt-free Cajun or Creole seasoning. Stir until thoroughly mixed. (Photos 2-3)
- Saute Chicken – Next, heat oil in a large skillet and stir in the chicken, cooking for 3-5 minutes or until slightly browned. (Photo 4)
- Add Seasonings – Then, add minced garlic, stirring for about a minute, followed by chopped onion and thyme. Cook everything until the onions wilt – about 4 more minutes. Then remove all ingredients from the pan and set them aside. (Photos 5-6)
Make the Sauce
- The Roux – Add butter to the same pan, and whisk in flour as soon as it melts. Continue whisking until flour is fully combined with butter, then continue cooking for about a minute. (Photos 7-8)
- Sauce Base – Next, add the chicken broth, a little at a time, followed by the milk, stirring continuously. (Photos 9-10)
- Simmer – Turn the heat down to medium so it simmers gently and slightly thickens into a creamy sauce—it should take 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Photo 11)
- Assemble – Finally, turn off the heat and stir in the pasta, broccoli, and about ¾ cup of cheese, along with the chicken mixture and Creole seasoning. Give it a taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. (Photo 12-13)
Bake the Chicken Pasta
- Transfer the pan’s contents to a casserole dish. (Photo 14)
- Cheese – Then, top it with the remaining cheese. (Photo 15)
- Bake, uncovered, at 350°F/177℃ for 15 minutes or until heated through. (Photo 16)
- Serve warm, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Recipe Variations
- Use a different protein. Swap out the chicken for ham, shrimp, or any other protein that goes well with pasta dishes.
- Change up the vegetables. Instead of broccoli (or along with it), use peas, carrots, asparagus, or literally any other veggie you love in this dish.
- Pick a different cheese. A gooey, melty cheese will work best, like Gruyere. But you do you. Cheddar, Colby, Jack, pretty much any cheese tastes good with this pasta dish. (See! I told you this was a flexible dish!) 🤩
Tips and Tricks
- You don’t want a lumpy cream sauce, so make sure the butter absorbs the flour completely before adding the milk and chicken broth. When you add the liquids, add them slowly and keep mixing the sauce the whole time. This will keep lumps from forming.
- Don’t overcook the pasta; go for al dente here. Keep in mind the pasta is going in the oven for 15 minutes, and the last thing we want is mushy noodles.
- Also, drain your pasta well before adding it to the sauce. If there’s still a lot of water with your pasta, it will make the sauce runny. 😢
Make-Ahead Instructions
Follow the recipe and assemble the ingredients in the casserole dish as per the recipe. Then, instead of baking, cover the dish with foil and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When meal time approaches, get it out, let it come to room temperature for 20 minutes, and then bake as instructed.
You can also freeze this dish. To do so, cover it tightly with aluminum foil and freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve this casserole hot out of the oven. If you have leftovers, they’ll last in the fridge for 3-5 days.
To reheat this casserole, the microwave works great for individual portions. But the oven is better if you want to reheat the whole casserole dish. Just bake it at 300℉/150℃ for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
FAQs
You may have needed to give it more time to thicken when you made the sauce. Keep in mind that the sauce will naturally be a little runnier after coming out of the oven, so a thicker sauce on the stovetop is preferable. Also, make sure to drain the pasta well before adding it to avoid excess moisture.
Sure! Just grab a low-carb pasta at the store. There are some made with cauliflower or chickpeas, for example. Or you can replace the pasta with sauteed zoodles or other low-carb veggie.
Actually, you can. It makes this recipe even quicker to whip up. Use a jarred tomato-based sauce, like marinara, or even a white sauce, like Alfredo.
What Goes With Chicken Pasta Bake
I round out this meal with two classic side dishes my whole family loves: Caesar salad and homemade garlic bread. This meal is always a hit!
If you really want to spoil your friends and family. Serve them some homemade sweet tea along with their meal. And complete your evening with a slice of buttermilk pound cake if you really want to impress. 😉
More Quick Dinner Recipes to Try
Conclusion
I hope this quick-and-easy chicken dinner recipe is as much of a lifesaver for you as it is for me! Already tried it? Let me know what you think in the comments. Your feedback is so important to me! 😘
This blog post was originally published in November 2019 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Joy Rose de Koster says
I made this recipe using left over shop bought roast chicken. It turned out just great.
Imma says
Oh great to hear that. Thank you so much!
Lykell says
Totally amazing
Imma says
Yay! Thank you so much Lykell:)
Amanda G. says
Hi Imma! We were all sick for a couple days at my house, and today I was feeling better enough to actually make dinner. I was looking for something comforting and not difficult and this was just perfect! I only had penne pasta but it worked just fine. It was just the hot comfort meal we needed after eating just soup and toast for 3 days
ImmaculateBites says
Oh, I hope you guys feel completely fine now! And yess, this recipe will really make you feel alot better. 🙂
Nancy S. says
I made this tonight with turkey meatballs and penne pasta I had on hand. It was very filling and tasty, but next time I make it I will probably double the sauce. My pasta absorbed a lot of it in the oven.
Immaculate Bites says
Thank you, Nancy! Another chicken and pasta that you might enjoy is one of my readers’ faves Cajun Chicken Alfredo. Enjoy! 🙂
Kasiva says
My family really loved it. Easy and quick to make. I used bow tie pasta instead.
imma africanbites says
Thank you for sharing your review. I’m happy that your family loves this. It’s indeed a quick and easy family meal.
Angel says
I loved this recipe. I substituted all of the dairy products with non-dairy alternatives and it came out perfect. Thank you!
ImmaculateBites says
Great ! Thanks so much.
Felicia says
Hi Imma!
I love your recipes, please keep them coming! Just wanted to know if frozen broccoli can be used for this particular recipe?
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Felicia. Yes you sure can. Be sure to thaw and drain out any excess water . Enjoy!
Katrina says
This was delicious, and it’s a really great base to experiment with. The family loved it. Thank you.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback.
Prisca John-Ogam says
Did you boil the pasta before mixing it in?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes I did.
Janet Bareiss says
Delicious. I added mango and left out the meat. New favorite
imma africanbites says
What a great add-in! I will be trying that soon.
Joelle says
You are so amazing!!! I loved this recipe and others. I’ve learned so much from you! Thank you!
ImmaculateBites says
Thank you Joelle 🙂 ! I am so glad you loved it. Thanks for stopping by!
Steph says
This was delicious! I used penne for the pasta and it turned out great. I’ll definitely make this again. Thank you for the recipe.
imma africanbites says
Awesome! So glad it turned out well for you. Thank you for letting me know.
Chris says
Thanks for the same recipe three days in a row, but I think once would suffice.
Daphne Smith says
Will be cooking this dish. It’s easy to make.
imma africanbites says
Awesome! Please do let me know how it works for you. Enjoy!