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My comforting bruschetta chicken bake is an elevated casserole that you can throw together quickly, and even better, it makes fantastic leftovers. With tender chicken breast, perfectly cooked rotini, lots of cheese, and a flavorful, homemade creamy tomato sauce, this one-pot chicken bruschetta casserole will be a crowd-pleaser.
There are three words that can make me sit up, clap, and run to the kitchen every single time. CHEESE AND CARBS.
I mean, perfectly seasoned chicken is nice too, but c’mon, CHEESE AND CARBS!
This bruschetta chicken bake has everything you and I want in a weeknight dinner. It’s easy, it’s tasty, you can meal prep it, and did I mention the CHEESE AND CARBS?
I’m not here to tell you what to do with your life (that’s a lie; that’s exactly what I’m here to do), but stirring in a few cups of baby spinach when you add the rotini to the sauce will really take this casserole to the next level.
Sarah’s cheat codes
- When I’m boiling pasta for baked casseroles, I prefer to cook it al dente, or leave it almost a litttttttle bit undercooked. It will hold its shape better in the oven and sets you up for non-mushy leftovers.
- While my recipe recommends how much cheese to use, we all know that cheese should only ever be measured with your heart. Add more or less to taste – follow your dreams.
- Whenever I have some leftover rotisserie chicken or air fryer chicken thighs, I like to use that instead of chicken breast. I skip the seasoning and browning step and just toss it all together with the sauce and cooked pasta.
Bruschetta Chicken Bake With Pasta
Equipment
- Strainer
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry rotini noodles
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts {cubed, cut into ~1-inch pieces}
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 3/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 14 oz crushed tomatoes {1 can}
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella {sliced or shredded}
- 1 1/3 cup shredded parmesan, divided
- balsamic glaze {optional}
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- In a large saucepan bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil.
- Add rotini and cook until al dente, ~7 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving about 1/4 cup of pasta water in the pot. Set aside. Make the rest while the pasta cooks.2 cups dry rotini noodles
- Sprinkle salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and parsley over the cubed chicken.1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, 3/4 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 0.5 tsp dried oregano, 0.5 tsp dried basil, 0.5 tsp dried parsley
- In a deep oven-safe skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.2 tbsp olive oil
- Add the chicken and cook it until it is just cooked through (~5-6 minutes). Do not overcook.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate. Drain any juices from the pan, but do not scrape the browned bits from the pan.
- Over medium-low heat, melt the butter in the skillet and stir in the minced garlic, stewed tomatoes, oregano, basil, parsley, and salt. Cook until the garlic is cooked through, ~2-3 minutes.0.25 tsp dried oregano, 0.5 tsp dried basil, 0.5 tsp dried parsley, 1/4 cup salted butter, 4 cloves garlic, finely minced, 14 oz crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp sea salt
- Slowly whisk in chicken stock and heavy cream, then increase the temp to medium-high and bring to a low boil for 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly.1 cup chicken stock, 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Remove from the heat and add in 1 cup of the shredded parmesan, and stir until it has been incorporated into the sauce1 cup shredded Parmesan, divided
- Add in the cooked pasta and chicken and stir to combine.
- Top with the remaining 1/3 cup of shredded parmesan and the slices of fresh mozzarella.1 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella, 0.33 cup shredded Parmesan, divided
- Bake, uncovered, at 350˚F for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melty and lightly browned.
- {optional} drizzle the top with a bit of balsamic glaze prior to serving.balsamic glaze
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
