Chicken 'n' Spinach Pasta Bake

22 Reviews
ADD YOUR REVIEW
Prep Time
15 Mins
Cook Time
1 Hour
Yield
Makes 4 to 6 servings
By Susan Runkle, Walton, Kentucky
February 2007
RECIPE BY Southern Living

Italian-inspired Chicken 'n' Spinach Pasta Bake is perfect for company. But it's also speedy enough for weeknight meals.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces uncooked rigatoni
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 medium)
  • 1 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
  • 3 cups cubed cooked chicken breasts
  • 1 (14.5-oz.) can Italian-style diced tomatoes
  • 1 (8-oz.) container chive-and-onion cream cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

How to Make It

Step 1

Prepare rigatoni according to package directions.

Step 2

Meanwhile, spread oil on bottom of an 11- x 7-inch baking dish; add onion in a single layer.

Step 3

Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or just until tender. Transfer onion to a large bowl, and set aside.

Step 4

Drain chopped spinach well, pressing between layers of paper towels.

Step 5

Stir rigatoni, spinach, chicken, and next 4 ingredients into onion in bowl. Spoon mixture into baking dish, and sprinkle evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Step 6

Bake, covered, at 375° for 30 minutes; uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until bubbly.

Step 7

Sausage 'n' Spinach Pasta Bake: Substitute 3 cups cooked, crumbled hot Italian sausage for 3 cups cubed cooked chicken breasts. Reduce salt to 1/4 tsp., and omit 1/2 tsp. pepper. Proceed with recipe as directed.

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Ratings & Reviews

Easy Vegetarian Dish

taa797s
July 05, 2016
My boyfriend and I try to eat meatless meals at least 3 times a week. This was absolutely delicious without the chicken. We actually preferred it that way. And I loved how easy it was to make. 

Paulette11Jac's Review

JmelynnOU
February 02, 2015
N/A

Sandi218's Review

Beckles
October 29, 2014
N/A

DeniseM1's Review

Texascooker
August 22, 2014
Great Recipe! I used just raw onion instead of cooking them first. They cooked enough for my family in the oven. Even my 16 yr. old liked it!

norahwynn's Review

Kelly1975
October 21, 2013
N/A

Kelly1975's Review

gtaylor806
January 01, 2013
N/A

gtaylor806's Review

BakerAbby
September 12, 2012
Very good! I did season chicken prior to cooking and also added onions to chicken to cook as well. Instead of 2 cans of tomatoes, I added half a can of italian tomato sauce, also garlic bread, and it turned our great! Didn't give it 5 stars b/c I did have to slightly change the recipe.

supersportgirl's Review

norahwynn
August 21, 2012
Good recipe! I, as well, added some more pasta and the extra can of tomatoes and made it in a 9x13 dish. Next time I will saute the onions in the pan with the chicken to give the chicken a bit more flavor. I was very surprised by how well the flavored cream cheese fit into this dish. I froze the leftovers and it was a very good "reheated" meal as well. My husband is not a big spinach fan so next time I am going to try it with a different green, probably collard or or turnip and see how that works.

CandEJ's Review

ACMDSM
February 26, 2012
This is a fabulous recipe...my husband raved about it and he's not that fond of chicken or cooked spinach! I did slightly alter the recipe and added an additional can of diced tomatoes (it would have been too dry without it) and I only added about 2 cups of chicken. I also just sauteed the onions in a pan before mixing in the other ingredients. It's a very classy and extremely tasty meal!

Texascooker's Review

Paulette11Jac
December 17, 2011
This is an excellent recipe with just a little tweaking. I add a pint of ricotta cheese to the mixture, two cans of diced tomatoes, 16 ounces of pasta, and extra cheese to make a creamier casserole. Great for family night dinner, but nice enough for company. A little cream or sour cream can be added before cooking if the mixture appears a little too dry.
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