Chicken Penne Casserole

Name: Chicken Penne Casserole
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4 servings.
Ingredients: 1-1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta; 1 tablespoon canola oil; 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces; 1/2 cup chopped onion; 1/2 cup chopped green pepper; 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained; 3 tablespoons tomato paste; 3/4 cup chicken broth; 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese; 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

This is my family’s favorite casserole recipe. I make it every week or two and we never tire of it. I like that I can clean my kitchen and then relax while it bakes. It won’t disappoint! —Carmen Vanosch, Vernon, British Columbia

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken, onion, peppers and seasonings; saute until chicken is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
In a blender, pulse tomatoes and tomato paste, covered, until blended. Add to chicken mixture. Stir in broth; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes.
Drain pasta; toss with chicken mixture. Spoon half of the mixture into a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the cheeses. Repeat layers.
Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until heated through, 15-20 minutes longer.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/2 cups: 579 calories, 28g fat (12g saturated fat), 128mg cholesterol, 1357mg sodium, 36g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 4g fiber), 47g protein.

Originally published as Chicken Pasta Bake in Simple & Delicious January/February 2008

Reviews

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Average Rating:

dmlapeer

Nov 16, 2018

Made as directed. Wonderful flavor. I will definitely make this a regular!
tkamera

Apr 4, 2018

Can this be made the night before and then baked the next day?
Janine

Mar 29, 2018

This recipe was a success :) I made a few changes- I didn't use red peppers because I had none, instead I threw in a can of those diced green chiles, gave it a nice flavor. Also, added two tablespoons of ricotta in with the sauce. Also, used a tiny bit more chicken than called for and to be honest I could have gone with even more chicken in retrospect! I would easily use 2lbs instead of 1 next time!
Kate

Feb 1, 2018

I made this but honestly I'm a quick short cut cook . I skipped the cooking the veg part ( added three kinds of sweet peppers , sliced mushrooms ), used half of a whole chicken which I chopped . Didn't have Romano cheese used Parmesan , I also used two generous teaspoons of Italian seasoning (all about substituting right) . I put it in a preheated 400 oven uncovered for 15 mins then turned the oven down to 350 for another 30 ,we loved it I would make it again.
kramerstacey15

Mar 24, 2017

Bland
deanwill62

Mar 11, 2017

Loved it, and the aroma in your kitchen will dazzle your senses. Followed to the recipe.
ellimaye1

Feb 21, 2017

So time consuming! I don't think the outcome was worth the effort. I forgot Romano cheese (which I didn't have anyway) so I sprinkled Parmesan on top which improved the taste. I'm sure the taste would be better had I remembered the Romano, but again lots of time required to make this.
DebSueWal

Jan 23, 2017

Awesome! My family nearly fought over who would get to take the leftovers to school and work with them, today! (Do yourself a favor ... double the recipe!) Absolutely one of the best pasta dishes I've had, EVER. Prep time takes a bit longer than noted, but worth every minute. Company and special occasion worthy, hands down!
Robby1

Nov 18, 2016

Love the flavors of this dish. As one Vernonite to another, thank you for this recipe!
TheaB

Nov 15, 2016

Husband loves it