Chicken Pasta Casserole Recipe

This recipe is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Bertolli® and was originally posted in February 2019.

This creamy Chicken Pasta Casserole recipe is made with dreamy rosa sauce that’s paired with sundried tomatoes, mushrooms and gooey cheese. This super easy, weeknight dinner is rich and decadent and downright comfort food at its very best! 

Have you ever made a casserole and after the very first bite you just knew you had hit the jackpot? That’s exactly what you can expect with this chicken pasta casserole! While my family loves all pasta recipes, including these Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Shells and Baked Ziti, this recipe is absolutely amazing and it’s because of the secret in the sauce!

For this pasta recipe, I created a new, unique flavor by combining Bertolli® Organic Traditional Tomato & Basil Sauce with Bertolli® Organic Cream Alfredo Sauce. They’re tasty on their own but together they make an amazing rosa sauce that’s perfect for pasta, chicken and more.

The Bertolli® Organic Traditional Tomato & Basil Sauce is loaded with the best organic ingredients like romano cheese, extra virgin olive oil and plump tomatoes. Bertolli® Organic Cream Alfredo Sauce contains organic ingredient as well and is truly just as good, if not better than homemade alfredo sauce.

Why We Love This Recipe

• The combination of marinara and alfredo make an out of this world sauce that’s guaranteed to be a family favorite!
• This easy chicken casserole takes less than an hour to make and is large enough to feed a hungry family.
• It’s a great make ahead dish. Combine all the ingredients in a casserole dish, stick it in the fridge then bake it the next day!
• This recipe is great for a family dinner but it’s fancy enough to serve on special occasions.

Recommended Tools

• Large pot
• Large skillet
• Mixing Bowl
• Colander or kitchen spider strainer
• Sharp kitchen knife
• Large kitchen spoon
• Cheese grater
• 9×13 Casserole dish

What’s Needed to Make Chicken Pasta Casserole

• Bertolli® Organic Traditional Tomato & Basil Sauce
• Bertolli® Organic Cream Alfredo Sauce
• Boxed Penne pasta
• Olive oil
• Boneless chicken breasts, cubed
• Mushrooms, quartered
• Cloves chopped garlic
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Shredded mozzarella
• Shredded parmesan cheese
• Chopped parsley and red pepper flakes for garnish

How to Make Creamy Chicken Pasta Bake

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350.

Step 2. Cut chicken into even sized cubes.

Step 3. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions on box until al dente. Drain in a colander and set it aside.

Step 4. Next, add the olive oil to a pan and cook the chicken over medium heat.

Step 5. Cook until almost done, then add mushrooms for the last 2-3 minutes.

Step 6. In a large bowl, combine chicken and mushrooms with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes.

Step 7. Stir in the Bertolli® Organic Traditional Tomato & Basil Sauce and the Bertolli® Organic Cream Alfredo Sauce.

Step 8. Mix the ingredients well to make a delicious rosa sauce.

Step 9. Stir in 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese.

Step 10. Combine pasta and cooked chicken mixture in a 9 x 12 baking dish you’ve sprayed with cooking spray. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.

Step 11. Bake uncovered at 350 for 20 minutes.

Step 12. Sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese. Garnish with chopped parsley and red pepper flakes (optional).

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Can I Freeze this Cheesy Pasta Bake?

This creamy pasta dish is perfect for freezing! We’ve all had busy weeknights that make getting a hearty home-cooked meal on the dinner table impossible. That’s why it’s a good idea to have casseroles like this one saved in the freezer.

Just store the cooked and cooled casserole in a freezer-safe container, or a casserole dish you’ve wrapped well with a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer or aluminum foil. Place it in the freezer for up to a few months.

To thaw, just stick it in the fridge overnight, then bake it when you’re ready to serve it.

What Can I Serve with this Pasta Main Dish?

This casserole is super filling, so you’ll want a light side dish like a side salad like this Broccoli Salad. You could also serve it with these Garlic Roasted Asparagus, Baked Zucchini Fries or just a nice piece of toasted crusty bread.

Variations of this Cheesy Chicken Casserole

• Types of cheese: If love lots of cheese, you can certainly add more. You can also mix up the types of cheeses you use. Cheddar cheese, Colby jack and provolone are great with the pasta sauce in this recipe.

• Pasta: You can use any of your favorite pasta noodles. Pasta shells and rigatoni are great options. You can also use whole wheat pasta if you prefer.

• Vegetables: This is a perfect meal just as it is, but if you’re wanting to sneak in a few extra veggies, diced zucchini or sauteed bell peppers are a great option.

• Sauce: Between the marinara sauce and the alfredo sauce, you just about can’t have a better combination of flavors. But if you want a little more of a creamy sauce, you can add a couple of dollops of sour cream or even some cream cheese and give it a good stir before baking. For an extra tomatoey sauce, you can add a little tomato puree or tomato paste to the sauce mixture or just make your own healthy pasta sauce.

• Other proteins: This recipe uses chicken breast, but you can use chicken thighs, leftover chicken or even store-bought rotisserie chicken. We also love to use a combination of chicken and shrimp in this casserole! Browned Italian sausage is super flavorful addition as well.

• Seasonings: This is a super mild, kid friendly sauce. But if you want a little heat to the dish, you can add about teaspoon cayenne pepper or extra red pepper flakes to the sauce.

If you love pasta recipes, you’ll also want to check out this easy homemade lasagna or this copycat pasta fresca.

 Want More Chicken Recipes?

• Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Mayo
• Easy Chicken Piccata
• Grilled Chicken Kabobs
• Sheet Pan Chicken with Veggies
• Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
• Honey Garlic Chicken
• Chicken Alfredo Bake
• Rosemary Chicken with Potatoes