Description
Marry Me Chicken Pasta Bake is a comforting, creamy pasta casserole featuring tender chicken breasts, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and a rich cheese sauce, all baked to bubbly perfection with a crispy, herbed panko topping. This flavorful Italian-inspired dish combines perfectly seasoned chicken and penne pasta with a luscious tomato and cheese sauce and fresh basil garnish, making it an ideal meal for family dinners or entertaining guests.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pasta
- 12 ounces uncooked penne pasta
Chicken
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Oils
- 1 cup drained jarred julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes
- 4 tablespoons oil from sun-dried tomato jar, divided
Vegetables
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
- 6 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 (5 ounces) package fresh baby spinach
Liquids & Dairy
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup whole milk
Cheeses & Toppings
- 2 cups shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese or fontina cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup panko (Japanese-style breadcrumbs)
- fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat and cook pasta: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the penne pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and transfer it to an ungreased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
- Season and cook chicken: Season the chicken breasts evenly with black pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Heat 2 tablespoons of the sun-dried tomato oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chicken breasts and cook until golden brown and an internal thermometer reaches 165°F (73°C), about 10 to 15 minutes, flipping occasionally. Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board, let rest for 5 minutes, then thinly slice and add to the pasta in the baking dish. Do not clean the skillet.
- Sauté aromatics and flavor base: Add 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil to the skillet and return it to medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sliced garlic, cooking and stirring often until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the white wine, tomato paste, and half (1/2 cup) of the sun-dried tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the liquid reduces by half, approximately 2 minutes.
- Make the sauce roux and thicken: Stir in the butter until melted. Sprinkle the flour over the sun-dried tomato mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until thick and pasty, about 1 minute. Gradually pour in the reserved pasta cooking water and whole milk, stirring frequently. Continue cooking and stirring until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add spinach and cheese to sauce: Stir in the fresh spinach, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the spinach wilts and turns bright green, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese until melted and well combined. Transfer the sauce mixture into the baking dish with pasta and chicken, stirring gently until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Prepare toasted panko topping: Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the panko breadcrumbs and remaining 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring constantly, until the panko is golden brown and toasted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Assemble and bake: Sprinkle the top of the pasta mixture with the remaining 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and the toasted panko topping. Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15 minutes.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.
Notes
- Reserve some pasta water to help thicken the sauce and add flavor.
- Using oil from the sun-dried tomato jar adds extra tomato flavor and helps keep the dish moist.
- Make sure chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (73°C) for safe consumption.
- Use fresh baby spinach for best texture and flavor; it wilts nicely in the sauce.
- To save time, you can use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken sliced in place of cooking fresh chicken.
- Customize with additional herbs such as oregano or thyme for different flavor profiles.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven for best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/6th of recipe)
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
