Description
This Cheesy Baked Chicken Rigatoni Pasta is a comforting and satisfying dish perfect for family dinners! Rigatoni pasta is tossed with a creamy ricotta and pesto mixture, then layered with seasoned chicken, marinara sauce, and mozzarella cheese before being baked to bubbly perfection.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For The Pasta:
- 16 ounces rigatoni pasta
- 1 large egg
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese (whole milk recommended)
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For The Chicken:
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For Layering The Pasta:
- 32 ounces marinara sauce, divided
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook rigatoni pasta al dente. Drain and return to the pot.
- Ricotta Mixture: In a bowl, combine egg, ricotta cheese, pesto, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Season Chicken: In a separate bowl, season chicken with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Cook Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until browned.
- Combine Pasta and Chicken: Add cooked chicken and 2 cups of marinara sauce to the pasta. Stir to combine.
- Assemble: Pour 1 cup of marinara sauce into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Add the pasta mixture. Top with 1 cup of marinara sauce. Dollop ricotta mixture evenly over the sauce, then smooth with a spoon. Top with mozzarella cheese.
- Bake: Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 23-25 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is melted and lightly browned.
- Rest and Serve: Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley or basil (optional).
Notes
- For 2% or fat-free ricotta, add an extra egg to prevent dryness.
- Ensure marinara sauce is layered next to the ricotta to keep the dish moist.
- The ricotta layer may appear thick, but it will spread when served.
- Adding the ricotta on top makes the dish look more appealing.
- You can mix the ricotta directly into the pasta and sauce, but the pesto can make the cheese look grey.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 150mg
