Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta Casserole
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
12 oz penne pasta
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
5 oz bacon slices, chopped
2 full cups fresh baby spinach
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
Chicken:
1 lb chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs, chopped into ½-1 inch pieces
2-3 tablespoons butter
Tuscan Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1 ½ cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
2 ½ cups grated mozzarella cheese
Garnish with parsley
Preheat oven 350 degrees
Boil pasta as per package directions, drain and cool
Chop uncooked bacon into small pieces and cook in a large frying pan /large Dutch oven until crispy
In the same pan that you cooked the bacon, add the butter.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Cook chicken for about 8 minutes, turning the chicken to cook on all sides, remove from pan
In the same pan, melt butter on medium heat.
Add garlic, cook until just fragrant
Add wine, cook for 2 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated
Add flour, stir one minute
Whisk in milk
Whisk in cream, the mixture will thicken
Add chicken broth
Simmer mixture until the sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon
Stir in spices and salt and pepper
Add ⅔ of the mozzarella cheese
Add ⅔ of the parmesan cheese
Stir in spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and ¾ of the bacon
Add pasta, stir until all combined
Pour mixture into a deep 13x9 inch casserole pan
Sprinkle the remaining cheese and bacon over the tip of the casserole
Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted and golden
Garnish with parsley
Add ⅔ of the mozzarella cheese
Add ⅔ of the parmesan cheese
Stir in spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and ¾ of the bacon
Add pasta, stir until all combined
Pour mixture into a deep 13x9 inch casserole pan
Sprinkle the remaining cheese and bacon over the tip of the casserole
Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted and golden
Garnish with parsley
PRINT RECIPE Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta Casserole
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| Boil pasta |
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| Cook bacon |
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| Cook the chicken |
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| Remove chicken from pan and set aside |
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| Grate the cheeses and cut up the sun-dried tomatoes |
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| Add butter. Saute garlic and add wine. |
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| Add flour |
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| Add milk and cream. Whisk until thickened. Then add chicken broth. |
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| Add 2/3rd of both cheeses. Add spices. |
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| Add spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and 3/4 of chopped bacon. |
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| Add cooked pasta. Stir well to combine. |
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| Pour mixture into a 13x9 inch casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining cheeses and bacon. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes |
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| Garnish with chopped parsley |
