This baked chicken zucchini pasta doesn’t take all night to make. It uses cooked chicken (a rotisserie bird works perfectly) and quick-roasted zucchini, tossed in a tangy cream sauce. It’s ready in about 30 minutes, so you can pull off a bubbling, golden pasta bake any night of the week.

Oval baking dish filled with creamy chicken pasta, zucchini slices, fresh spinach leaves, and grated cheese, sitting on a light background.

I like to use leftover shredded chicken from my recipe for classic lemon roasted chicken but any cooked chicken you have on hand will work, and the rest of the ingredients are simple pantry staples you can pull together quickly.

Key ingredients

  • Zucchini: When you’re shopping for zucchini for this recipe (or grabbing them from your garden), go for the smaller ones that are less than 2-inches in diameter — they’re naturally sweeter, with fewer seeds and less water.
  • Cheese: Soft goat cheese melts into the heavy cream, adding tanginess and a smooth texture. If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, substitute with an equal amount of ricotta. Grated Parmesan brings the dish together, as always.
  • Pasta: I recommend using a dried short pasta shape that’s cupped or tube-shaped to capture the creamy sauce. I’ve made this with cavatelli (shaped like tiny spiraled shells), bow-tie pasta, shell pasta or similar shape you have on hand.
Oval baking dish filled with creamy chicken pasta, zucchini slices, fresh spinach leaves, and grated cheese, sitting on a light background.
4.78 from 18 ratings

Baked Chicken Zucchini Pasta

Karen Tedesco
This baked chicken zucchini pasta doesn't take all night to make. It uses cooked chicken (a rotisserie bird works perfectly) and quick-roasted zucchini, tossed in a tangy cream sauce. It’s ready in about 30 minutes, so you can pull off a bubbling, golden pasta bake any night of the week.
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Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups (350 g) chopped zucchini
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 12 ounces (350 g) dried short pasta, such as cavatelli, shells or rigatoni
  • 1½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • Freshly grated zest from 1 lemon
  • 4 ounces soft goat cheese
  • 1 ½ cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
  • ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, or fresh basil

Equipment

Instructions
 

  1. Heat the oven to 400 (200 C) degrees.
  2. Toss 2 cups chopped zucchini in an 11×9-inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper. Roast 20 minutes, or until the zucchini is golden brown on the edges.
  3. Meanwhile, bring 4 or 5 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add 2 tablespoons salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, then add to the baking dish with the zucchini and 1 ½ cups cooked chicken.
  4. Put the cream, shallot, garlic and lemon zest in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat (watch that it doesn't boil over), then reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in 4 ounces soft goat cheese. Pour the sauce over the pasta and chicken mixture and stir gently to combine. Sprinkle ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the top. Note: At this point, you can cover the baking dish and refrigerate up to 24 hours before continuing to the baking step.
  5. Bake 15 minutes, or until the sauce bubbles and the edges turn golden. Scatter the parsley over the pasta and serve hot.

Notes

  • If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, you can substitute with an equal amount of ricotta.
 

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 598kcal Carbohydrates: 47g Protein: 25g Fat: 35g Sodium: 278mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 2g

Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.

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