Caprese Chicken Pesto Pasta Bake

If yours is a pasta-loving family, this recipe is one you'll be enjoying all year long. The tomatoes are pan-roasted and slightly sweetened to pair perfectly with herby pesto, chicken, and fresh mozzarella. And if you made Easy Shredded Chicken Breast Hack, the recipe will come together in a snap. Just add a simple salad, and dinner is done! Note that if you'd like the pasta bake to be extra-cheesy, just go up to 1 pound of mozzarella balls. The recipe is a Yummly original created by Ashley Strickland Freeman.

Author: Yummly

Category: Dinner

Cuisine: Other

Difficulty: EASY

Prep. Time:

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings: 6 Servings

Calories: 544 kcal per serving

Ingredients

1 pound - penne pasta
1 Tbsp - extra-virgin olive oil
3 Cup - cherry tomatoes
3 cloves - garlic
1 teaspoon - salt
1 teaspoon - black pepper
¼ teaspoon - sugar
3 Cup - cooked chicken breasts
1 cup - pesto
8 Ounce - fresh small mozzarella balls
⅛ - fresh basil leaves

Instructions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°. Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
Cook pasta in boiling salted water according to package directions until al dente; drain.
While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a medium saute pan or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the halved tomatoes, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and sugar. SautÃ© until tomatoes begin to soften and release their juices, about 3 minutes.
Gently toss together pasta, tomatoes, chicken, pesto, and mozzarella and spoon into the prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake until cheese melts and pasta is warmed through, 20-25 minutes. Scatter fresh basil leaves on top if you like.