Creamy Baked Chicken Pasta
Dinner,  Dinner Casseroles,  Farm to Table,  Life,  Pasta

Creamy Baked Chicken Pasta

Creamy Baked Chicken Pasta

I love Tetrazzini. Chicken or turkey – it really doesn’t matter. Creamy pasta, crispy topping, rich sauteed mushrooms, all baked to delicious perfection – and even better the next day for lunch leftovers.

Yesterday after getting home from my daughter’s dance competition – we were in Baltimore, Md. for a night – I was craving some sort of comfort food, and I was exhausted. Yes, she did all the work, but after standing for 8 hours on the concrete floor of the convention center on Saturday, with awful food options, I was ready to collapse.

Ballet Competition

And eat really good food.

For whatever reason, I was craving Tetrazzini. Except – I forgot to add mushrooms to the grocery list, which means we had none.

Annnnnd, it’s kinda hard to make a traditional Tetrazzini without the mushrooms. {sad face}

But, that’s okay! There were some beautiful ripe cherry tomatoes in my last Hometown Harvest fixed bag, and I thought to myself:

Forget the Tetrazzini! Let’s just make a creamy baked chicken pasta dish, with fresh cherry tomatoes, sauteed onions + garlic and fresh herbs.

Creamy Baked Chicken Pasta

Doesn’t that look delicious, and fresh, and totally yummy?

It was.

Creamy Baked Chicken Pasta

Creamy Baked Chicken Pasta

Creamy Baked Chicken Pasta

Yield: 4 to 6
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 stick of salted butter
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2-1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
  • 8-ounces spaghetti

Instructions

  • Set a large pot of salted water to boil and preheat the oven to 450°F.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in a large, nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Season each side of the chicken with salt and pepper. Once the butter has melted, add the chicken. Cook the chicken 4 minutes per side, or until it's cooked through. Remove the chicken to a paper towel, let it rest for 5 minutes, and then cut it into bite-sized pieces and toss them into a large bowl.
  • Add another tablespoon each of butter and olive oil to the large saute pan. Once the butter has melted, add the onions. After 2 minutes, once the onions start to become soft, add the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and continue sauteeing them for another 5 minutes, and then add them to the chicken in the large bowl.
  • Add the spaghetti to the boiling, salted water and cook it for 9 minutes. Drain.
  • Meanwhile, while the pasta's cooking, add 3 tablespoons of butter to the saute pan. Once it's melted, whisk in the flour and let it cook for 2 minutes, continuing to whisk. Pour the milk and chicken stock in all at once, turn the heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a boil - whisking frequently. Whisk in 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper, then reduce the heat to keep the mixture simmering until it becomes thick and bubbly, whisking occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
  • Add the cooked spaghetti, 1/2 cup of the cheese, the sauce, 3/4 cup sliced cherry tomatoes, green onions and parsley to the large bowl with the chicken. Toss it all together until the spaghetti is well-coated.
  • Add the pasta mixture to a buttered 1-1/2 quart baking dish. Toss the bread crumbs and remaining cheese together, then sprinkle it on top. Add the remaining sliced cherry tomatoes, dot with 3 tablespoons of butter, then bake it for 20 minutes (or until the sauce is bubbly and the topping is golden brown). Let the creamy baked chicken pasta rest for 5 minutes before serving.
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    Last Updated on February 23, 2019 by Liza Hawkins

    Hi, I'm Liza, a self-proclaimed word-nerd who loves getting sucked into whimsical stories and epic movies. I have laid-back, practical attitude towards life, and as a foodie at heart, I relish the chance to both cook and eat. (No picky-eater here!) Always on the hunt for good eats, easy recipes, binge-worthy shows, relaxing road trip destinations, the perfect mojito and time to finish my novel!

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