Looking for easy pasta main dishes? This Creamy Chicken and Pasta Bake Recipe is comfort food everyone loves…sliced chicken breasts and fresh mushrooms with pasta in an easy, creamy cheesy sauce. Just delicious!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This creamy pasta bake recipe is a favorite, thanks to its wonderful flavor and creamy texture. This is one of those easy dinner ideas that’s not difficult to prepare, and maybe you’ll have leftovers for another dinner or lunch too.
Who knows? It could end up being a new favorite recipe at your house!
Here’s a few good reasons to give it a try:
- Sliced chunks of chicken are tossed with cooked penne pasta and sauteed mushrooms with cheese and cream to make the most delicious creamy cheese sauce imaginable.
- A chicken pasta casserole is comfort food, folks, and even picky eaters like it.
- This is a creamy pasta bake that’s easy to prepare, and can be made in advance.
- This is perfect if you’re looking for a new recipe for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the full recipe and instructions and list of ingredients, please scroll down to the recipe card below.
- Penne Pasta: The best shape for this recipe.
- Chicken Breasts: Just a pound or so, cooked and sliced into strips.
- Mushrooms: Button or Crimini or Baby Bells.
- Cheese: Jack cheese and Parmesan cheese.
- Butter: Unsalted.
- Shallot and Garlic: Big flavor boosters.
- Ground black pepper and kosher salt: Must-have seasonings.
Step-By Step Instructions
- The first step is to cook the chicken breasts in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook til done and cut into strips.
- Cook the penne pasta too, according to the package directions for al dente.
3 Slice the mushrooms and saute them in the skillet with a little butter, salt and pepper. Cook until crispy brown on the edges.
4. Add cream to the skillet, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom while you stir with a wooden spoon. This is where the flavor is.
5. Add the cooked pasta, the sliced chicken, some of the cheese and mushrooms – leave some of the mushrooms to sprinkle over the top – then transfer to a baking dish.
6. Sprinkle more cheese, fresh chopped parsley and some of the cooked mushrooms over the top. Baking time is about 30 minutes, until bubbly and golden.
Tips and Possible Variations
- Try using other pasta shapes like rigatoni instead of penne for this delicious casserole if you’d like.
- If your chicken breasts are thick, slice them in half horizontally to make two pieces.
- I love and adore Trader Joe’s Lemon Pepper that comes with it’s own grinder.
- Shallots vary in size, and can measure out between a fourth to a third of a cup. This is fine!
- Use non-dairy heavy cream instead of regular cream such as the brand Silk (not sponsored, I just like the stuff)
- Splurge and use Gruyere cheese instead of Jack cheese if you’d like.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container.
- Use a rotisserie chicken as a short cut to cooking the chicken breasts yourself.
Serving Ideas
- This cheesy pasta bake needs a bracing, crisp vegetable salad like this one, or like this delightful roasted pear salad…a great combo for company or special meal.
- You could also have a cup of homemade soup to start the meal, and this one, or this delicious one would be perfect!
- Or just start with an easy appetizer of warm olives so you don’t ruin your appetite, or these fabulous cheesy little bites, which people just rave about.
- Consider a dessert of mini apple pies (that use a serious shortcut of store-bought pie crust) or some simple and incredible butterscotch shortbread dunked in melted chocolate with maybe a small platter of sliced fresh fruit. Sounds amazing, right?
- This Banana Cake is super tender and flavorful, and would also be a great dessert after this casserole recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure can. You can assemble it the day before and bake it right before serving.
An airtight container is the best option, and it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Next time, try Gruyere cheese which is wonderful if you’re looking for an upgrade from Monterrey Jack, but note that mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese would not be my choice for this recipe.
Yes! That’s a great idea.
More Recipes to Try
- Baked Chicken Marsala Recipe: A classic for a reason…delicious!
- Shortcut Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits: An easy, delicious dinner recipe.
- Taco Pie with Crescent Rolls: This is a great dinner, especially on weeknights.
- Ground Turkey Pasta Bake Recipe: This is a very tasty and easy skillet recipe.
- Vegan Creamy Potato Soup: A wonderful, flavorful, easy recipe.
- Slow Cooker Yankee Pot Roast: A delicious, hands-off meal.
- Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage: A reader favorite recipe.
- Chicken Sausage Pasta Bake: An easy skillet recipe, quick too!
- Summer Pasta: One of the best pasta recipes, don’t wait til summer though!
- Tin Foil Baked Chicken with Vegetables: A wonderful, healthy chicken recipe.
- White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups: A fun and easy dessert recipe!
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Creamy Chicken and Pasta Bake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound Penne pasta See note
- 1- 1⅓ pound(s) Chicken breasts, thin, boneless, skinless See note
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Freshly ground pepper see note
- 4 tablespoons Butter, unsalted
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- ⅓ cup Shallot, chopped fine see note
- 1 pound Crimini mushrooms, stems removed, sliced Use button mushrooms instead
- Salt and Pepper to season mushrooms
- 1 clove Garlic, crushed
- 1 ½ cups Heavy Cream See note
- ¾ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
- 2 cups (8 ounces) Jack Cheese, shredded See note
- 3 tablespoons Italian Parsley, chopped fine
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. In a large pot of well-salted water (1 tablespoon), cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente, and reserve a half cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta, then set aside until ready to use. Tip: Drizzle the pasta with a little olive oil so it doesn't stick together if you're making it in advance.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large skillet, add the 2 (two) tablespoons of olive oil and cook the chicken breasts on medium-high heat for 3 (three) to 4 (four) minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the butter and tablespoon of olive oil to melt together. Add the shallots with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently for about 1 (one) minute. Add the sliced mushrooms then toss together with the butter. Cook undisturbed with the mushrooms spread evenly in the pan for 3 (three) to 4 (four) minutes until brown on the edges. Turn the mushrooms over with a spatula and cook for another 3 (three) minutes or so undisturbed. Add the garlic and stir and cook for one more minute. Add a pinch of salt and 6 or 7 turns of pepper grinder to season, then turn the heat to low. Remove a half cup of the mushroom mixture to reserve and sprinkle over the top of the casserole before baking.
- Add the heavy cream to the skillet with the heat on low, stirring at the bottom of the skillet (a wooden spoon works best) to scrape up any of the flavorful bits that have accumulated on the bottom of the pan. Slice the chicken breasts into half-inch strips, and add them to the pan with the mushrooms. Add in the cooked pasta and the Parmesan cheese and two (2) tablespoons of the parsley. Add another pinch of salt and a few turns of fresh ground pepper. Lightly toss everything together, and if the mixture seems a bit dry, add a bit of the reserved pasta water (add 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time until creamy but not soupy.)Transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13" (or equivalent) baking dish (smear a little olive oil on the bottom first) and top with the jack cheese, reserved mushrooms, and tablespoon of parsley. Bake for 25-30 minutes and serve.
Notes
- Use other pasta instead of penne, if you’d like.
- If your chicken breasts are thick, slice them in half horizontally to make two pieces.
- Use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store if you want.
- Shallots vary in size, and can measure out between a fourth to a third of a cup. This is fine!
- Use non-dairy heavy cream instead of regular cream such as the brand Silk (not sponsored, I just like the stuff).
- Splurge and use Gruyere cheese instead of Jack cheese if you’d like.
Nutrition
- Super important to read the whole recipe before you begin
- Pay attention to the ingredient list and photos for the recipe
- If possible, prep your ingredients a little before you start
- Always use a sharp knife for safety
- Use the size of pan called for in the recipe
- For savory recipes, taste and season as you go
- Buy fresh, organic ingredients, locally sourced whenever possible
Please rate this recipe and thanks for leaving a comment!