Spinach Chicken Pasta Bake
Italian-style creamy chicken and pasta casserole baked with spinach and gooey melted cheese. A perfect one-dish dinner for a cozy night in.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 g) spinach
- ½ pound (225 g) dried short pasta such as mezze rigatoni or penne
- 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 cup (140 g) cooked shredded chicken
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup shredded Fontina, Monterey Jack or Havarti cheese
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) butter
Instructions
- Heat oven to 475 (245 C) degrees. Bring a large pot of water (5 or 6 quarts) to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt.
- Drop 1 pound spinach into the water and cook 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon to a colander and drain. Put the spinach in a clean kitchen towel (carefully, it's hot), roll it up and squeeze over the sink to remove as much water as you can. Chop the spinach.
- Parboil ½ pound dried short pasta in the boiling water until halfway cooked, 7-10 minutes depending on the size and thickness of the pasta. Drain.
- Stir together 1 ¼ cups heavy cream, 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic , ½ teaspoon kosher salt, Fresh ground black pepper, 1 cup cooked shredded chicken, ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, ½ cup shredded Fontina, Monterey Jack or Havarti cheese and the drained chopped spinach in a large bowl. Add drained pasta and mix together.
- Smear 2 tablespoons butter over a 2-quart gratin or baking dish. Transfer pasta mixture to the dish and spread into an even layer.
- Bake 12-15 minutes, until the cream is bubbling and edges of the pasta begin to brown. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- This recipe makes a hearty dinner for a hungry couple or 4 people with a salad on the side. Double up the recipe for a larger crowd, using 2 gratins or one 2-quart baking dish.
- Other greens: Chopped kale, Swiss chard or other tender greens can replace the spinach. Blanch, squeeze dry and chop them just as you would the spinach.
- Make ahead: Assemble through the baking step, then cover and refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 month. To bake from frozen, cover the dish with foil for the first half of the bake time, then uncover, and add 15 minutes to the total.
Nutrition
Calories: 461kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 21gFat: 27gSodium: 538mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3g
