Chicken Tuscan Pasta Bake – Freezer Friendly
Posted: 03/31/2017
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Creamy, flavorful, and healthy, Chicken Tuscan Pasta Bake is perfect to eat right away or to prep ahead and freeze for another day. Great for sharing with people in need of a meal, too.
I was chatting with a friend once who was pregnant with her third child and I mentioned that I wanted to bring her a meal after the baby was born. She was thrilled, telling me she had never had a “new mom” meal delivered to her.
Let me stop for a minute. Two previous babies, and no one had ever made her a meal to help her out when she brought home a newborn.
NO ONE.
This is so appalling to me, and yet she may still be in the same situation because I moved and was unable to bring her one. The thought of cooking after you’ve given birth is a seriously daunting thought and everyone should have, at the very minimum, a week of meals from friends and family to help them out.
One of my favorites is my easy 20 Minute Italian Turkey Bean Soup. I make a double batch and then I have dinner made for my family, too. I usually pair the bean soup with a loaf of yummy bread, fresh fruit, a salad, and a dessert. I love to make my whole wheat chocolate chip cookies, bringing a couple dozen baked and a couple dozen additional balls of dough that I’ve frozen. If the new moms have surprise visitors (and you know they will!), they can pop the frozen dough balls in the oven and enjoy freshly baked cookies with their visitors.
I will be adding this Chicken Tuscan Pasta Bake to my rotation for new parents. It freezes well and it’s the epitome of comfort without being overly rich or fattening. Whole wheat pasta, chicken breast, and kale make this a hearty and healthy meal and the cheese that ties it all together will keep you coming back for more. The tangy, chewy sun dried tomatoes are little flavor bombs…don’t leave them out!
This Brussels sprouts salad is a great side. It keeps well in the fridge. These no bake peanut butter bars would be welcome, too, I’m sure.
Tip: If you do plan to freeze and reheat this, you may wish to add a can of diced tomatoes (15 ounce) to the recipe to prevent it from drying out!
PS: If you’re still looking for ideas for new parents, I compiled a whole post about what to bring new parents – it’s divided up by diet/eating style to make it easy to navigate and also to help you find ideas for families who follow gluten-free, vegan, and paleo diets. It even has some ideas for how to help out families that don’t live close by you.
Important note! If you’re cooking this from the freezer, make sure to put it in the COLD oven before preheating. Never put a cold pan in a hot oven or you’ll be cleaning up glass and no one will be eating pasta.
PS: If you have a busy day planned, this crock pot baked ziti looks perfect! Or try easy Baked Feta Pasta, with only a few ingredients, you’ll be eating dinner in about half an hour.
More baked pasta recipes
- Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe with a twist on the classic!
- Green Chile Mac and Cheese Recipe
- EASIEST Baked Macaroni and Cheese (the best!)
- Pastitsio
- Stuffed Shells Recipe — vegetable packed!
- Macaroni and Cheese Pizza with bacon and green onions
- Pepperoni Pizza Lasagna Rolls
- Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese with bacon and caramelized onions
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
servings
Creamy, flavorful, and healthy, Chicken Tuscan Pasta Bake is perfect to eat right away or to prep ahead and freeze for another day. Great for sharing with people in need of a meal, too!
Ingredients
- 1 package (13.25 oz) whole wheat penne pasta
- 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 small onion, diced (1/2 cup diced)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 5 ounces fresh baby kale
- 1 jar (7 oz) julienne cut sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained (oil reserved!) and patted dry
- 3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
- 1 cup milk (2% or whole)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- If baking immediately, preheat oven to 350°F. Otherwise, begin on step 2.
- Spray a 9X13 or larger baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain when finished cooking.
- Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of reserved sun dried tomato oil (or olive oil) and add chicken and onions. Saute until chicken is cooked through and onions are translucent, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add kale and sundried tomatoes and cook until kale is wilted, stirring frequently. Add cream cheese, milk, and Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine and cook until cream cheese is melted and incorporated. Add pasta and stir to coat pasta with all other ingredients. Pour into prepared baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese.
- If baking immediately, place in preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted. If you like a softer noodle, cover with foil during baking.
- If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil and place in freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, remove plastic and cover with foil. Place in cold oven and turn oven to 350°F. Bake for 45 minutes covered and then uncover and continue baking for 30 minutes longer or until heated through.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1of 6, Calories: 361kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 41g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 111mg, Sodium: 395mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Etta says
Very yummy and wonderful to impress your friends…love it
Rachel Gurk says
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for leaving a review!
Lindsey W says
So I cook everything and then bake it? I’m going to make today but don’t want to bake it until tomorrow. It still needs to bake even though everything is already cooked?
Rachel Gurk says
That is correct! It changes the texture slightly and brings everything together.
Heather says
When cooking the chicken and onions…alot of water is produced. Do I drain before adding garlic and cheese etc?
Rachel Gurk says
No need to drain it!
Sally says
I have made this dozens of times. My 17 year old loves it. He isn’t crazy about sundried tomatoes, so we use roasted red bell peppers, instead. I made it for a vegetarian friend with no chicken and an assortment of veggies. I do add more seasoning to it. I add Italian spices and and crushed red pepper. It is so comforting at the end of a long day!
Rachel Gurk says
So glad to hear you like this recipe! It really is so versatile. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, it means a lot to me!
Tiffany says
Hi. I am planning on doing some meal prep for my mom and aunt. If I added artichoke hearts and spinach in place of the kale, would it still freeze well?
Rachel Gurk says
Yes, that will be great!
X says
can you bake it first, portion it, and then freeze it to reheat at work?
Rachel Gurk says
Yes, you could most definitely do that!
Nelda says
Thank you for this recipe, it’s an absolute favorite in my home! I was looking for a recipe that would incorporate greens with pasta, but not spinach ( I have picky eaters). My teenagers have requested this dish many times and even eat the leftovers.
Rachel Gurk says
So happy to hear you liked it and it is a hit with your family – that makes me so happy! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Nancy says
I made this to bring to a neighbor and it was a big hit! I loved the sun dried tomatoes.
Rachel Gurk says
So glad to hear it! Thanks for leaving a comment and review!
Alan Taylor says
Am going to make this because I’m I’m having surgery soon, and want to take some of the cooking load off my wife. Can we use broccoli instead of kale?
Rachel Gurk says
I think that would be delicious! I hope your surgery goes well!