I think it is universally agreed that the best recipes are those that are both very simple and very delicious. Do not get me wrong, I honestly do not mind putting in the time and cooking meals that demand that investment. It always pays off in the end! However, sometimes one is just tired, but still, in the mood to eat something supper yum. In instances such as those, I almost always turn to my cheesy chicken pasta bake.
This recipe is simple and an easy crowd-pleaser. It is a default when impromptu guests come knocking. It is impossible not to love and just as difficult not to savor! This is for certain gonna be among your family’s absolute faves!
PREP TIME: 20 min COOK TIME: 25 min SERVES: 5
Ingredients
600g of cooked penne pasta
1 cup of pasta water
500 g of deboned and sliced chicken thigh (or breast)
1 small red onion, diced
1 tablespoon of garlic
1/2 tablespoon of minced ginger
1/4 cup of chopped dania stems
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 tablespoon of curry
1/2 tablespoon of onion powder
1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon of chili
2 tablespoons of parmesan
125 g of freshly grated mozzarella
Method
Begin by cooking your pasta (penne) as prescribed on the packet.
Besides penne, you can use wagon wheels, large shells, rigatoni or pipe rigate – all available in your well-stocked local supermarket. Allow this to cook until al-dente, and reserve 1 cup of pasta water to be used later.
Drain the remaining pasta water and run the cooked penne through a stream of cold water. This is an important step as it prevents the pasta from clamping together.
Once done, set aside.
Now, we begin the cooking. In your sufuria, add some oil and some salt. Add in the onion, dania (cilantro) stems, thyme, ginger, garlic and sautee until softened and fragrant. A great herby base makes for a phenomenal meal so this recipe demanded no different!
Doesn’t this look so vibrant?
Add in the tomato paste, the retained pasta water and the spices and cook down for about 5 minutes until the color intensifies. The pasta water provides a liquid medium for the spices to cook down in but also introduces some starchiness that gorgeously thickens the mchuzi.
Thick texture, rich, deep color. You can check out the consistency of the mchuzi from the video at 3.09 – 3.12.
Add in the chicken and allow to cook. This will take just under 5 min because the chicken is sliced in strips meaning a larger exposed surface area allows for speedier cooking. For this recipe, I used de-boned chicken thighs as that is what I had at hand. However chicken breast would work just as fine. You want your chicken to remain nice and juicy so be careful not to overcook it.
Remember, because the chicken is cut really small, it will take a brief amount of time to cook – literally under 10 minutes. Ensure not to overcook the chicken as we want to have it remain juicy and tender.
Once done add in the cooked pasta, and the parmesan. The parmesan is one of the two cheeses we are using for this dish and it gets introduced at this stage. I love the flavor and how it introduces creaminess to the dish. Mix it all in.
Add in some chopped dania (cilantro) and give one final mix.
Once done, pour all this onto a casserole dish, and sprinkle your freshly grated mozzarella over the top. I understand you can buy already grated mozzarella but freshly grated one will give you the flavor and stretch you will really enjoy!
Bake for 5-8 minutes until the top is browned and bubbly. I have to say, this is my favorite part; for some reason, I really get a kick out of watching a cheesy bubbly top! You can better see this in the video from 5.20-5.40.
Once done, serve!
Rich, cheesy, meaty and super filling too! I mean who doesn’t love a quick meal that’s yummy to have too???
I enjoyed the fullness of the garlic and the other herbs we had at the very beginning! They went so well with the juicy tenderness of the chicken thighs! I deeply loved how the two cheeses brought it all to life and tied it all together.
I served mine with some fresh vegetables which cut through the richness of the cheese and of course with the tallest, coolest glass of sauvignon blanc! I cannot wait to make this again!
I am curious, what you would serve this with? And I would also really love to know when and who you enjoyed this with. It is one dish whose yumminess just has to be shared!
Pass by my channel and watch the complimentary video! It is just as beautiful as this write-up. Be sure to subscribe too, I would love to have you!
Happy Wednesday!
Get your downloadable recipe here :))
All content and images are copyright protected by
Do not copy in part or whole without giving due credit.
Hey there! My name is Kaluhi and I love food! Through my blog, I am happy to share with you my self-taught recipes, steeped in nostalgia and the happiest of memories. I hope each recipe you try out is as addictive as the previous one and is shared on a table full of love and hearty laughs!
I didn’t have penne so I used tagliatelle to make this cheesy chicken pasta bake and it was a hit with the whole family. I’ll be adding this to my monthly meal plan for sure!
I made this bake with penne on Sunday and it came out perfectly! Easy to make and very satisfying. I’m making it again for dinner tomorrow!
This was quick and easy to make and super flavorful. The leftovers were fantastic as well. Will be going into the regular dinner rotation.
This dish had so much flavor. I made a big pot of this for the week and everyone loved it so much!!
This Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake looks absolutely mouthwatering! I love how you’ve combined simple ingredients to create such a comforting and flavorful dish. The step-by-step instructions make it easy to follow, even for someone like me who isn’t a pro in the kitchen. I can already imagine the gooey cheese and tender chicken blending perfectly with the pasta — it’s a great meal for any day of the week. I’m definitely going to try this recipe soon, and I’m sure it’ll become a family favorite. Thanks for sharing this delicious and hearty recipe, Kaluhi! Can’t wait to make it! Get more info.
I love to see that your entire family enjoyed this! Anything cheesy does make a positive difference to ANY dish!!
Nice pasta recipe — keep sharing !
xxx
I tried making this penne bake on Friday and it came out wonderfully—both easy and satisfying! For anyone craving something unique, I recommend having a look at the Popeyes Menu Items
Enjoy!
Great recipe! Pasta is one of those dishes that works perfectly for any occasion: a quick weeknight dinner, family lunch, or even when you’re getting together with friends to watch a football match.
By the way, in Italy there’s a whole culture of combining good food with watching Serie A matches — it’s an inseparable part of game day. Research shows that people actually eat more while watching sporting events, especially when there’s something delicious on the table.
So if you’re preparing pasta for match day, you can add even more atmosphere — following the game in real time, making predictions on the outcome. There are convenient platforms for this here, where you can analyze team statistics right between courses. The main thing is to enjoy the process: cooking, eating, and the game itself. After all, good food and sports emotions are what bring people together around one table.
I am so happy you loved the recipe 🤎
Can I make this with spaghetti? Its my favourite pasta type
NO.
This will not bake/serve well with the long pasta types. Instead of penne, use macaroni or fusilli
I made this with fussilli and it was very very delicious. I added mozzarella both in the bake and on the top and it was so melty and stretchy and delicious!
Can’t wait to try this again!
Next time I will also add some inside, just as you did❤️!
This is my go-to dish for when I am hosting the kids for a sleepover. This has always been a guarantee for all* the kids to enjoy and finish. Plus, it takes a really short time to cook. My kids and their friends now call this “the sleepover pasta”
Its dearly loved recipe, Kaluhi.
It is such a joy to see that the “sleepover pasta” has been a hit with the kids! It truly is a recipe impossible to dislike, and if the kids love it, it most certainly is a bomb one!
I have made this two ways, first way stopping just after the pasta is mixed in and second way with the cheese mixed in. It is both so good, just depends on my mood to let me know which direction to swing. Its a 2-in-1 recipe
Glad you love it both ways ❤️
I made this with the coily macaroni and it turned out so good. The macaroni absorbed the sauces and the cheese and i feel, it tasted even better next day. Fantastic recipe
Coily Macaroni is a perfect subb! So happy you enjoyed it!
I think this is a recipe that can be enjoyed three ways : first at the chicken stage and with rice or ugali, second at the adding pasta stage, and last after the cheese has baked. I enjoy all three!
I love it when you guys get super observant and interpret my recipes in your own way❤️! Yes, this is indeed a trio when you look at it closely
Can I make this with pork?
The notes will be slightly off with pork. Pork is fantastic, but just not for this recipe. Just wait till you get chicken then you can give it a shot
xx
I felt called to add milk into the casserole dish just before adding the cheese ontop & popping into the oven. I think the time in the oven is too short because the milk did not get absorbed or creamy and the dish became rather soupy/watery
Baby girl, there is no milk in the ingredients. Why did you add milk?? It was bound to backfire because it does not belong here, more so at the stage you *chose* to add it
It just felt right aki. I will try it again without the milk next time.
Please do so. It is a great recipe which I feel no one should miss out on. All the very best!
I really liked the way this topic was explained. The article is easy to read, well structured, and filled with practical information. Since I often consult a diccionario de sueños, I found this content especially relevant and enjoyable. Thanks for sharing your knowledge in such a clear and accessible format.
You’re welcome!