Chicken and pasta casserole with broccoli, or pasta al forno as the Italians would say. This really is an ideal dish for the whole family on busy weeknights. Quick, easy and very delicious!
Creamy chicken pasta casserole
This casserole is filled with penne pasta, tender chicken and broccoli in a creamy cheese sauce made with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Simple, delicious, easy to make and perfect when you have a busy day ahead of you. This chicken and pasta casserole is truly a new favorite around our house!
Chicken pasta bake
I love casseroles. It’s so easy to throw together and whilst in the oven I can clean up the kitchen and set the table! It’s a great way to make a family meal but just as nice to make for yourself. The leftovers make for a great lunch and perfect to freeze for a hearty meal on hand at any time!
This recipe serves about 4 people but since this chicken and pasta casserole is quite rich, chances are you’ll have some leftovers anyway 😉 . Talking about leftovers, it’s the perfect easy meal to use up your leftover rotisserie chicken! I also like to make my caesar salad whenever I need to use up leftover chicken.
Ultimate comfort food
My chicken pasta casserole recipe uses broccoli, but also pasta (I used casarecce, but it is up to you, for example penne or fusilli will work just as well), a delicious creamy filling with chicken, some Italian herbs and spices and of course tons of cheese. Simple, but oh so delicious. For me, this casserole is the ultimate comfort food!
My chicken and pasta casserole recipe
Italians call this dish pasta al forno, which literally means pasta from the oven. Of course, you can fill the casserole dish with any kind of pasta. Traditionally it is often topped with béchamel sauce and tomato sauce with a sprinkling of cheese. Today I am sharing my version of pasta al forno, a cheesy chicken pasta casserole with tons of flavor and texture. Buon appetito!
Ingredients
- 300 grams pasta
- 500 grams broccoli
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 400 grams chicken breast (diced)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon paprika powder
- 150 ml heavy cream
- 250 ml chicken stock
- 100 grams Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 150 grams mozzarella (grated)
- pepper, salt, oregano and olive oil to taste
Equipment
- Casserole dish
INSTRUCTIONS (how to make this recipe):
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius/390 Fahrenheit top and bottom.
- Cook the pasta in a pot of water with a pinch of salt until al dente.
- Meanwhile. cut the broccoli into florets and cook in a pan of water with a pinch of salt until al dente.
- Heat some oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion and garlic.
- Add the chicken, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper to taste.
- When the chicken is cooked, return the al dente pasta and broccoli to the pan with the cooking cream, broth, half the Parmesan and half the mozzarella.
- Cook for a while, add a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon water) to thicken the sauce if necessary.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Place the pasta in a baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Sprinkle with dried oregano to taste.
- Place in the oven and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Enjoy!
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