Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake
Elevate weeknight dinners with this one-skillet pesto chicken pasta bake! An irresistible blend of Italian and Cajun flavors, it features pesto, Parmesan, Cajun spices, sun-dried tomatoes, and tender chicken in a decadent, creamy sauce. Sign me up!
Servings: 4 servings
Equipment
- Oven-safe skillet, safe for broiling temperature
Ingredients
- 10 oz rigatoni ¾ of a 1lb box
- 1.5 lbs. chicken tenderloins diced
- 1.5 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1/3 cup prepared pesto
- 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup parmesan shredded or grated
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning see recipe notes for my recipe
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 3 cups whole milk half and half or cream can be substituted for a richer pasta
- 8 oz sun-dried tomatoes oil drained
- 1.5 cups broccoli cut into bite-sized florets
- 2 cups baby spinach
- Olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Drizzle chicken with one tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle over the Italian seasonings and 1 tsp salt and freshly ground pepper as you toss the chicken to ensure it’s evenly coated on all sides.
- Bring water to a boil in a large pot for the pasta while cooking the chicken and sauce.
- In an oven-safe skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil or enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook chicken about 4-5 minutes, flip once, reduce heat to low, and continue to cook about 3-4 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside.
- In the same pan, reduce heat to medium-low and add 2 tablespoons butter to melt. Add in the onion and sauté until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add in garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- Pour in the milk and sprinkle in Cajun seasonings and red pepper flakes (if using) and salt and pepper to taste (about ½ tsp each). Add in sun-dried tomatoes and broccoli and bring to a low simmering boil until the broccoli softens, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni to al dente.
- Into the sauce, add in the spinach leaves, stirring into the sauce until they wilt. Fold the cooked rigatoni, chicken, and pesto into the sauce until it’s evenly incorporated.
- Turn the oven to broil. Top the pasta with mozzarella and parmesan. Broil for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese melts and starts to brown.
Notes
Homemade Cajun Seasoning:
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper (add more if you like heat)
- ¼ teaspoon cracked pepper, to taste