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This Dump-And-Bake Chicken Spinach Pasta is everything you need for a weeknight. All done in just over 1 hour, with just 10 minutes of prep. Creamy and filled with cheese this will become an immediate favorite with your whole family!
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Baked pasta is one of my favorites for busy weeknights. It all started many years ago with a simple tortellini casserole, via my chicken broccoli pasta bake, and now we've arrived here - at a delicious chicken spinach pasta dump-and-bake loaded with cheese.
Why you will love this recipe
- It's easy - you don't even need to cook pasta!
- It's quick to prep - 10 minutes is all you need
- Pasta cooked in milk & cream & cheese might just be the best kind of pasta
- Perfect golden crust from two types of cheese
- Full of flavor from parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomatoes
- A healthy touch from lots of spinach
- Reheats extremely well - so well in fact, that it's even better the next day
What you need to make it
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Chicken: Either use raw chicken that you cook according to the instructions in the recipe card below, or use leftover chicken. I prefer to use chicken thigh filets, but any cut of chicken works - just cut it in bite-size pieces.
- Penne pasta can be swapped for fusilli, or another similar-size pasta
- Cheese: I like to use two kinds, one well-melting (and cheaper) kind like mozzarella and one flavorful kind like Parmesan. But you can use all mozzarella, orother kinds.
- Butter can be swapped for vegetable oil
- Sun-dried tomatoes: I always use the kind in oil, but you can use the dry kind as well. Just soak them in hot water for a few hours until softened.
How to make it
If you're using leftover chicken, you can skip over steps 1 through 8 below.
- Melt the butter for the chicken in a pan over medium high heat
- Add the the chicken
- Fry for a minute to give it some color
- Season with paprika powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper
- Cook for a few minutes until the chicken has a nice color on all sides
- The chicken does not have to be cooked all the way through
- Push the chicken to one side of the pan and add the tomato paste on the other side. Fry the tomato paste for 1 minute.
- Mix in the tomato paste with the chicken, then remove from the heat and set aside for now
- Bring out a deep oven dish and grease with butter
- Add the raw pasta
- Add the cooked chicken
- Add sun-dried tomatoes
- Add the spinach
- Add half the Parmesan cheese
- Add half the Mozzarella
- Mix
- Make sure everything is mixed well
- Add the remaining Parmesan cheese
- Add the rest of the mozzarella
- Pour over the cream
- Pour over the milk
- Make sure all the pasta pieces are submerged, and use a spoon to gently press down any pieces that are not
- Bake in the middle of the oven at 440°F (225°C) for one hour. Check once halfway to make sure it's not getting too dark - if it is, cover with a piece of oven foil.
- Bring out the Chicken Spinach Pasta and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Tips & tricks
- To make it quicker use leftover chicken instead of raw chicken
- Fry the tomato paste to intensify the taste.
- Let it sit after baking to allow for it to "set" - if not, it's going to be a bit runny
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 4 days
- Freeze leftovers to keep them for up to 3 months
Recipe FAQ
How do I reheat leftover Chicken Spinach Pasta?
Oven: 300°F (150°C) for 10 minutes
Microwave: in 1 minute increments
What type of chicken can I use to make Dump-And-Bake Chicken Spinach Pasta?
You can use any cut of raw chicken, or most types of leftover, already cooked, chicken. For example, it's great with rotisserie chicken, pan seared chicken and boiled chicken.
For best results, make sure the leftover chicken does not have a heavy seasoning that's very different from the one recommended in this recipe.
Don't I need to boil the pasta first?
No! The pasta cooks in the milk and cream, and at the same time release starch which, when combined with the fat from the cheese, will thicken the sauce.
More quick & easy pasta recipes
Love easy weeknight dinners? Then you will love these pasta recipes!
- Pink Pasta Sauce with Bacon
- Creamy Broccoli Pasta
- Salmon Spinach Pasta
- Seafood Pasta Bake
- Halloumi Pasta Primavera
- Spicy Sausage Pasta
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake
- Dump-And-Bake Chicken Broccoli Pasta
Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.
Recipe
Chicken Spinach Dump and Bake Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes
Print RateServings: 6
Calories: 824kcal
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 1 hr
Resting >Time 10 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients
Pan Fried Chicken
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 lb chicken thigh filets cut in bite-size pieces
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
Dump-And-Bake Chicken Spinach Pasta
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ⅔ lb dry penne pasta uncooked
- 1.5 cups sun-dried tomatoes weight without oil, chopped
- 3 handfuls spinach
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese divided
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups milk
Instructions
Pan Fried Chicken
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, then add in the chicken. Fry for about a minute, then season with paprika powder, onion powder, ground black pepper and salt and mix well. Cook until the chicken has nice color on all sides.1 tablespoon butter, 1 lb chicken thigh filets, 1 teaspoon paprika powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt
- Shove the chicken to one side of the pan and add the tomato paste to the other side. Fry the tomato paste for about a minute and then mix it all together and remove the pan off the heat.1 tablespoon tomato paste
Dump-And-Bake Chicken Spinach Pasta
- Preheat the oven to 440°F (225°C).
- Bring out a deep oven dish and grease it with butter.1 tablespoon butter
- Add in the uncooked pasta, cooked chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and half of the mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Mix.⅔ lb dry penne pasta, 1.5 cups sun-dried tomatoes, 3 handfuls spinach, 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- Add the remaining mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese on top. Then pour over the cream and milk, and push down any pieces of pasta that are not submerged in the liquid.2 cups heavy cream, 2 cups milk
- Bake in the middle of the oven for for 1 hour. Check once halfway to ensure it's not getting to much color - if it is, cover with a piece of oven foil and keep cooking.
- Bring out the pasta and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Equipment needed for this recipe
- Baking dish - approximately 8x10'' (20x25 cm)
- Measuring cups (metric or US)*
Video
Notes
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Chicken: Either use raw chicken that you cook according to the instructions in the recipe card below, or use leftover chicken. I prefer to use chicken thigh filets, but any cut of chicken works - just cut it in bite-size pieces.
- Penne pasta can be swapped for fusilli, or another similar-size pasta
- Cheese: I like to use two kinds, one well-melting (and cheaper) kind like mozzarella and one flavorful kind like Parmesan. But you can use all mozzarella, orother kinds.
- Butter can be swapped for vegetable oil
- Sun-dried tomatoes: I always use the kind in oil, but you can use the dry kind as well. Just soak them in hot water for a few hours until softened.
Tips & tricks
- To make it quicker use leftover chicken instead of raw chicken
- Fry the tomato paste to intensify the taste.
- Let it sit after baking to allow for it to "set" - if not, it's going to be a bit runny
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 4 days
- Freeze leftovers to keep them for up to 3 months
- Reheat leftovers:
- Oven: 300°F (150°C) for 10 minutes
- Microwave: in 1 minute increments
Nutrition
Calories: 824kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 223mg | Sodium: 1013mg | Potassium: 1569mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 3498IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 490mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Did you make this? Tag me today!Tag @alwaysusebutter and use the hashtag #alwaysusebutter!
Anya
I made this using gluten free penne and boy is it not only tasty but also so filling! My boyfriend (who isn't gluten free) also really enjoyed it - which is not always the case that a recipe tastes just as good or is not obviously gluten free but this recipe is perfect to make gluten free even for those who aren't!
This was such an easy way to meal prep for the week. Plus, I have been trying to incorporate more chicken (protein) into my diet but I always end up cooking very dry and bland chicken but the chicken did not turn out dry/bland at all so if following this recipe worked for me, it will work for anyone.
Kelli
I just bought a family-sized package of chicken breasts and have been trying to come up with new ways to use them. This recipe looks so perfect! Love the sun-dried tomatoes especially! I don't have spinach, but might try using kale instead.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Oh that’s just perfect! Enjoy!!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Oh that’s perfect! I think kale will be amazing as well!
Charla
I love dump and bake recipes, especially ones that sound so super filling like this one.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Sure is! Heavy in the cheese 😉
Anita
This is such an amazing dish. With chicken, spinach, and pasta in one dish, I don't even need to make anything else for a balanced and complete meal.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you Anita! No it’s all in there 😌
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
We've been eating a lot of pasta lately, and this hearty casserole looks like my next endeavor! Simply mouthwatering.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you Lisa! Hope you enjoy it!
Noelle
I love the sundried tomatoes in this bake!! Adds great flavors
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you Noelle! Sundried tomatoes are one of my MVPs for sure!!