Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake – Freezer Friendly

At a glance

What stands out: Creamy, flavorful, and lighter, Tuscan chicken pasta bake is reliable to eat right away, or to prep ahead and freeze for another day. It’s especially nice for sharing with people in need of a meal, too.

How long it takes: 45 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: pasta pot, 9 x 13 inch baking dish, large skillet
Servings: 6

Meal Train Casserole

Many of us have been called upon to cook for a friend who may be in need of a warm meal. An organized version of providing meals for those in need is called a “Meal Train.” It’s a wonderful idea but sometimes it can be hard to think of a recipe to use. This Tuscan chicken pasta bake is a recipe we rely on when we're bringing a meal to friend.

Another one of our meal train favorites is this straightforward ground turkey soup with beans & spinach. We make a double batch and then we have dinner made for our family, too. We love to make our whole wheat chocolate chip cookies, bringing a couple dozen baked and a couple dozen additional balls of dough that we've frozen. If the new moms have surprise visitors (and you know they will!), they can pop the frozen cookie dough balls in the oven and enjoy freshly baked cookies with their visitors.

Hearty Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake

Comfort food. We will be adding this chicken pasta bake to our rotation for new parents. It’s the epitome of comfort without being overly rich or fattening. Whole wheat pasta, chicken breast, and kale make it a hearty and lighter meal. Melty cheese ties it all together and will keep you coming back for more.

So flavorful. The tangy, chewy sun-dried tomatoes are little flavor bombs and add extra oomph to the recipe. Don’t leave them out! We utilize both the tomatoes and the oil they’re packed in for this recipe. We've found that the flavor-infused oil is reliable for sautéing the chicken and vegetables.

Freezes well. One of a standby parts of this pasta bake is that you can make it ahead and freeze it so it’s ready to use when the need arises. This is also a benefit when you’re making it for a meal train, just in case the family is inundated with food. They can stick it in the freezer to use later.

Etta Said:

“Very tasty and wonderful to impress your friends…love it!”

See More Reader Reviews

Recipe Tip

If you do plan to freeze and reheat this, you may wish to add a can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained, to the recipe to prevent it from drying out. Pasta tends to keep absorbing liquid even when it’s cool.

Ways to change it

Use a different green. Baby kale can be replaced with spinach or another tender green. If you use curly or Lacinato kale, remove the stem and thick middle stalk first. Chop the kale finely. It will take a little longer to soften than baby kale. If you’re not a fan of kale or spinach, try marry us chicken pasta! It’s a one pan recipe, pasta and all.

Add mushrooms. We love to add mushrooms to this recipe! Sauté 8 ounces sliced white mushrooms with the chicken and onions.

Make it vegetarian. Omit the chicken and use mushrooms instead.

Try a crockpot version. If you love Tuscan chicken, you’ll love slow cooker Tuscan chicken, too. The creamy Tuscan chicken sauce is cooked in a slow cooker. You’ll cook the pasta separately to serve with the sauce.

Keeping leftovers

Leftover baked pasta: Refrigerate leftovers promptly. The pasta will keep for up to 4 days. Individual portions can be reheated gently in the microwave.

To freeze unbaked pasta: Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and foil and place in freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw overnight in the fridge. Remove plastic and cover with foil. Place in cold oven and turn oven to 350°F. Bake for 30 minutes covered, and then uncover and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes longer or until heated through.

• Yield: 6
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 30 minutes
• Total: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 package (13.25 ounces) whole wheat penne pasta (or any type of pasta you prefer)
• 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-sized pieces)
• ½ cup diced onion (about 1 small onion)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or more, if you like)
• 5 ounces fresh baby kale
• 1 jar (7 ounces) julienne cut sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
• 3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (or regular cream cheese)
• 1 cup milk (2% or whole milk, not lowfat or nonfat)
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Method

1. If baking immediately, preheat oven to 350°F. Otherwise, begin on step 2.
2. Drain the jar of sun-dried tomatoes, reserving the oil. Arrange the tomatoes on paper towels and use additional paper towels to pat off the excess oil.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain when finished cooking.
4. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
5. Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of reserved sun-dried tomato oil (or olive oil, if you prefer) and add chicken and onions. Sauté until chicken is cooked through and onions are translucent, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
6. Add kale and drained sun-dried tomatoes and cook until kale is wilted, stirring frequently.
7. Add cream cheese, milk, and Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine and cook until cream cheese is melted and incorporated.
8. Add cooked pasta and stir to coat pasta with all other ingredients. Pour into prepared baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese.
9. If baking immediately, place in preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted. If you like softer pasta, cover with foil during baking.

Notes

To freeze unbaked casserole: Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and foil and place in freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Remove plastic and cover with foil. Place in cold oven and turn oven to 350°F. Bake for 30 minutes covered, and then uncover and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes longer or until heated through.

Vegetarian: Skip the chicken and substitute 8 ounces sliced white mushrooms. Sauté them with the onions. If you’re not a vegetarian but still love mushrooms, you can use both the chicken and the mushrooms if you want.

Different greens: Baby spinach can be substituted for the baby kale. If you use curly or lacinato kale, remove the stem and tough inner stalk, and chop it finely. It will take longer to soften.