READY IN 1¼ hrs

Pesto Chicken Penne Casserole

Read Reviews (199)

"Creamy, flavorful and so easy to fix. This meal-in-one will wow family and friends. Makes a lot, so freeze some or halve the recipe." — linda

Directions

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil in a small bowl until evenly moistened; set aside.
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the penne, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
Meanwhile, combine the chicken in a bowl with the Italian cheese blend, spinach, tomatoes, alfredo sauce, pesto sauce, and milk. Stir in the pasta once done, and scoop into the prepared baking dish. Top with the bread crumb mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly and golden brown on top, 40 to 45 minutes.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 15 mins
COOK 1 hr
READY IN 1 hr 15 mins

Footnotes

Cook's Note
I also make my own Alfredo sauce and use 2 cups in place of the jarred sauce.

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Jan 27, 2012

As the submitter I would just like to say it is a comfort food food that my family and friends love.And was not meant to be lowfat. Hypertrophy I use a very large deep pot to mix it all in:)

—linda

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Jan 19, 2012

flavor was ok, however the younger children were not found of the chunks of tomato and spinach, may chop up smaller next time

—heather

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267 Ratings

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Aug 29, 2012

Geez some people drive me crazy! How on earth are you going to rate this recipe when you haven't even made it??? & because of the calorie/fat content? Not at any point does this recipe say low calorie or low fat! To rate a recipe with 1 star because of what it "sounds" like completely defeats the meaning of this website. I've never commented before, but I am just amazed at some users sometimes!!! By the way...wonderful recipe!!! Will make again & again...& again!

—sunflower

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Oct 17, 2011

This was a very simple and tasty dish. I only made two small changes. I halved the pesto because the pesto at my store comes in 7oz containers and most people said they halved it anyway. I also used diced tomatoes, but that's only because I grabbed the wrong can and didn't notice until I had already poured it in the bowl. I don't know what it tastes like with all 15oz of pesto and crushed tomatoes but it was just fine with only 7oz of pesto and diced tomatoes. Also, this dish was very big. I had to pour it into a 9x13 casserole dish AND an 8x10 casserole dish. I had a party with 10 people and the 8x10 went untouched and there was about 1 serving left in the 9x13. If you're making this for a family of 4 or 5 you will definitely want to halve the recipe. I didn't give it five stars because it didn't "Wow Me!". It was very good and I'll definitely make it again!

—Amy

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Jul 16, 2011

I loved this! but i think there is too much pesto it was a little bit strong, and i added extra cheese on top before i added the crust topping, it was amazing!

—Tasha

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Aug 29, 2012

Fantastic! Made it exactly as written and my whole family was delighted. As is often the case with pasta, the flavors "married" overnight and the leftovers rocked! I am pleading with those of you who feel compelled to give a negative rating to a recipe you've never tried to please resist the urge. If you read the ingredients and decide it is not for you because of calories, salt, fat, or whatever, why are you even reading the reviews and adding your opinion? The rest of us are not interested in your lecture, but rather the experiences of those who have actually made the recipe.

—Maggie

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Nov 02, 2011

Great family meal! I have made this dish three times in the last month, and the beauty of it is that you can "tweak" it every time and it's still delish! The first time I made it, I subbed tomato paste for crushed tomatoes as had an open can in the fridge--family loved it! Second time, used diced tomatoes and different cheese--another hit! Tonight, I actually used crushed tomatoes, but for the cheese I used a combo of mozarella, provolone, guida and parmesan, and added a little more spinach--family again fell all over themselves getting seconds! The only thing I've done consistently is halve the recipe, because it does make alot! And, I make my own pesto in the summer and freeze it in golf-ball size servings-and one of them seems to be just perfect. My family thanks you for posting such a great, pantry-adaptable recipe!!!

—beachlover

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Aug 02, 2011

This was great. I used fresh tomatoes instead of crushed, and I did not use the afrado sauce. I recommend this recipe to anyone.

—kfrehse0202

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Nutrition

Calories
760 kcal
38%

Carbohydrates
40.7 g
13%

Cholesterol
114 mg
38%

Fat
47.2 g
73%

Fiber
3.4 g
14%

Protein
45.4 g
91%

Sodium
1210 mg
48%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Pesto Chicken Penne Casserole

Serving Size: 1/12 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 760
Calories from Fat: 425

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 47.2g 73 %
Saturated Fat 18.2g 91 %
Cholesterol 114mg 38 %
Sodium 1210mg 48 %
** Potassium 542mg 15 %
Total Carbohydrates 40.7g 13 %
Dietary Fiber 3.4g 14 %
Protein 45.4g 91 %
** Sugars 4.2g
Vitamin A 35 %
Vitamin C 14 %
Calcium 85 %
Iron 40 %
** Thiamin 8 %
** Niacin 101 %
** Vitamin B6 24 %
** Magnesium 30 %
** Folate 21 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.