Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Baked Pasta
on Jun 24, 2016, Updated Aug 22, 2024
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Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Baked Pasta is a simple dinner recipe, baked and served in less than an hour. Made with healthy vegetables and lots of cheese, this easy meal will be a kid favorite and a great option for a busy week.
I love simple dinners on crazy nights. Try these too: One Pot Cheesy Sausage Pasta, Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon and One Pot Pasta Primavera.
The Best Homemade Baked Pasta Recipe
This baked pasta has been one of my favorite meals since I was newly married. I got the recipe from my Aunt RaNae and have been adapting, enjoying, and making it in all kinds of variations for years. This recipe is simple tried and true deliciousness that you are going to make over and over again. It’s super versatile and fool-proof. I like to make the sauce the same every time because that’s the backbone of this dish.
What is the best type of pasta to use for a pasta bake?
You have a lot of options when it comes to the kinds of pasta you use (you can use lots of different shapes and different types of pasta – I make this with whole wheat pasta all of the time), the vegetables you toss in, and even the meat.
How can I get more protein into a pasta dish?
I normally use up leftover shredded chicken (hello, rotisserie chicken), but this is a great way to use just about any shredded meat you have around. Honestly, you don’t even have to add meat if you are after a simple meatless meal; creamy pasta and vegetables can stand alone just fine.
Can I freeze baked pasta?
This baked pasta freezes well. I like to make this same amount but put it into two 9″ by 9″ baking dishes. I’ll bake one for dinner and the other I cover and put in the freezer instead of cooking it. When I want to cook it, I thaw it overnight in the fridge, and then bake it until everything is hot. The noodles are a little bit softer, but cooking once and eating twice is worth having soft noodles once in a while, in my opinion. You’ll have to try it and see what you think!
Quick and Easy Chicken and Vegetable Baked Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 package pasta, about a pound
- 2-4 cups frozen vegetable, Normandy Blend
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 small onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic, the minced kind in the jar
- 1 carton chicken stock, 1 quart
- 2 cup shredded cooked chicken
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Get a pot of water boiling for your pasta. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- When the water is boiling cook your pasta al’dente. This is normally about 2 minutes less than the package says for me. When the pasta has about a minute left, add the frozen vegetables to the water. When the pasta is cooked al dente drain the pasta and the vegetables. Let these hang out in your colander for a minute.
- Return the now-empty pot back to the stove and add the butter and onion. Over medium heat, cook the onion in the butter until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and the flour. Stir to combine and let the mixture cook for about a minute. Slowly whisk in one carton of chicken stock. Bring the mixture up to a slow boil, stirring very often. Once the mixture starts to bubble cook for 1-2 minutes until it thickens. Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the pasta and veggies to the prepared dish. Add the chopped chicken on top of the pasta. Pour the sauce evenly over the dish. Sprinkle the top with the mozzarella. Place the dish in the oven and bake until the cheese melts and the sauce begins to bubble around the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the pasta rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Looking for more family favorites? Try these:
- The Best Make-Ahead Lasagna (Freezer Friendly Too!)
- Easiest Chicken Pumpkin Pot Pie
- Spinach and Mushroom Marinara with (or without) Meatballs
- One Pot Pasta Primavera
- The Best One Pot Baked Ziti
- Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
- Lemon Garlic Baked Chicken Legs
- Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini with Mushrooms
- Quick, Easy, and Healthy White Chicken Enchilada Soup
This Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Baked Pasta dish is going to become a family favorite in no time. This meal is so easy to make and love that I often make it when someone is sick or just had a baby. I know it’s going to be well received by all. Pin it for later, because you are going to make this recipe over and over again. Enjoy!
Do you put the cold uncooked chicken just in the pan to bake or cook chicken first ? Help ! Haha
The chicken should be cooked before it goes into the pan to be baked!
Can I use fresh vegetables rather than frozen? Would steamed brocoli work?
Thank you.
yes that’ll work great! I would steam the broccoli or carrots first, something like zucchini or peppers would probably cook fine in the oven.
I used chicken broth instead of stock. I like the casserole with the exception of that aspect. Wish it would be even cheesier.
A great way to get my family to eat veggies they normally donโt. Loved it and it is a new family favorite!
This is really good. My family loved it. I used half Italian blend cheese and half cheddar bc it’s what I had already. I also added one can of cream corn and salad shrimp which I put in with the vegetables as added to the noodles for one minute. Thank you. Not sure how to post a photo but I have one.
I love that you made this your own! That’s the beauty of this recipe, it’s super versatile and you can use what you like or have on hand. Thanks for the review! You can put pictures on Instagram or Facebook and tag me!
I forgot I needed to make this! Thank goodness for your weekly recipe posts to remind me ๐ if I only have fresh broccoli and carrots on hand, do I cook them a bit (or all the way?) before adding them to the dish? I’m sure I can figure it out but wanted to see if you had an opinion!
Made this for dinner tonight, and everyone loved it! I forgot to add the salt and pepper, but that’s easy enough to put on at the end. It’s not often that I come across a recipe where no one complains, so thank you!
Hi! This looks wonderful and very family friendly! I have a recipe question… we are Gluten Free, I have pasta that I can use, no problem. But the 1/2 cup flour… think it could be replaced with corn starch and still be okay?
Thanks!
I’d use a gluten free flour blend or half that amount in corn starch (you only need half the amount of corn starch as you do flour, so you’d use 1/4 cup corn starch in place of the flour). I think both of those options would work great. You are going to love this dish!