It doesn't get much more comforting than a creamy pasta bake and this Easy Creamy Tomato and Chicken Pasta Bake is a family favourite. A dump and leave weeknight dinner that will feed a hungry family of 4, or 2 with leftovers to take to work. Kids will love this healthy creamy tomato sauce with chunks of chicken, hidden vegetables, and plenty of cheese of course!
This creamy chicken pasta bake is one that I have been making since I was in university. It started out very basic, with just chicken, a tin of tomatoes and pasta and I have adapted it every time I made it since. But I think this version is as close to perfection as this recipe is going to get.
When you crave comfort food, this is the recipe you want. This is a pasta bake that the whole family is going to love. It's fairly simple when it comes to the flavours, but is really filling and comforting.
Perfect for a chilly autumn/winter evening, but light enough for summer too. Have you tried our Meatball Pasta Bake too?
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Why should you try it?
- It's quick and easy to make - you just dump everything in to a baking dish after the pasta and chicken is cooked.
- A healthy pasta dish at under 500 calories for a large filling portion.
- There is some hidden vegetables in there
- A great family meal and it makes great leftovers, and freezes really well too.
- Easy to adapt - you can mix in any vegetables you like, and even change the protein source to something like beans, tofu, Quorn or salmon.
What you will need
Step by step
One: Heat some olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat and then add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Two: Put the pasta in a pan of boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes.
Three: Add the tomatoes, tomato puree and oregano to the chicken and mash the tomatoes a little. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 2 minutes.
Four: Drain the pasta and add the grated courgette and cream cheese and stir well.
Five: Add the pasta mixture to the chicken mixture along with the cherry tomatoes and stir well.
Six: Transfer to an oven safe baking dish and sprinkle with the cheddar, mozzarella and basil and put in a pre-heated oven at 190°C/375°F/Gas 5 for 15 minutes.
Seven: Once cooked, serve with chopped basil sprinkled on top.
Is this healthy?
Cheese is a must on a pasta bake and whilst this is certainly not lacking in the cheese department, we haven't gone too crazy. We have gone with quality, not quantity, and used cheeses with a strong flavour so you can get away with using less of them.
We used a good quality cream cheese from a local farm shop, along with some mature cheddar and some mozzarella cheese. But you could also use parmesan and goats cheese on top to get a really strong flavour.
This chicken pasta recipe is only 500 calories for a large filling portion, which I think is pretty good as far as comfort food goes. We also made it as nutrient dense as possible by adding in some grated vegetables, so fussy eaters won't even notice them.
What vegetables can I add?
I find it not hard to try and sneak some vegetables in to a dish, as everyone can do with some extra veggies in their life. I grated a courgette and stirred it in to the pasta, but it would work with a carrot too.
You could also finely chop some bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach or kale to stir in to the pasta sauce. You know your family best, so add in the veggies you know they will enjoy, or won't be able to detect.
Can I make this vegetarian?
Keep this healthy pasta bake vegetarian by swapping out the chicken and using chunks of roasted aubergine or tofu instead. You could even go for a seafood version and use king prawns.
One of my other go-to pasta dishes when I was at university was a tuna pasta bake - such a classic. So you could swap the chicken for a couple of tins of tuna instead.
FAQs
Something really chunky works well, which is why we have used rigatoni. You could use penne or fusilli instead, but I wouldn't recommend using something like macaroni, as it would get lost. The pasta is the star of the show here, so let it shine.
Yes, it can and this is a really good batch cook meal to save you time in the week. Just let it cool fully and then portion it out in to containers and freeze. Defrost thoroughly and reheat - add a tablespoon of water before reheating just so it doesn't dry out.
It will keep in the freezer for around 3 months, or you can keep leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Extra Tips
- We used cheddar and mozzarella on top, but you could swap it for Parmesan and goats cheese instead.
- Keep this vegetarian by swapping out the chicken and using chunks of roasted aubergine or tofu instead. You could even for a seafood version and use king prawns or tuna instead.
- If you want the sauce a little bit sweeter, a glug of good quality balsamic vinegar would go a long way. Or maybe turn up the heat by adding some chilli flakes.
- You don't have to cook this in the oven. You could heat everything on the hob for a few minutes once it is mixed together and then put it under the grill to melt the cheese and make it go crispy.
- Feel free to use different types of pasta if you already have some in your cupboard.
- This is a good opportunity to sneak in lots of extra vegetables. Spinach, a chopped pepper and mushrooms work well.
- You could use leftover shredded chicken in this too.
- Always cook your pasta for a couple of minutes less than usual with making a pasta bake, as it will cook more in the oven.
- Make this gluten free by using gluten free pasta.
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Recipe card
Creamy Tomato and Chicken Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 300 g chicken breasts cut in to chunks
- 280 g rigatoni pasta
- 4 shallots diced
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 courgette (zucchini) grated
- 400 g plum tomatoes
- 100 ml vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp tomato puree (paste)
- 3 tbsp reduced fat cream cheese
- 8 cherry tomatoes halved
- 40 g mature cheddar cheese
- 30 g mozzarella cheese torn
- 1 handful fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Put the pasta in a pan of boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Heat some olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat and then add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, stock, tomato puree and oregano to the chicken and mash the tomatoes a little and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Drain the pasta and add the grated courgette and cream cheese and stir well.
- Add the pasta mixture to the chicken mixture along with the cherry tomatoes and stir well.
- Transfer to an oven safe baking dish and sprinkle with the cheddar, mozzarella and basil and put in a pre-heated oven at 190°C/375°F/Gas 5 for 15 minutes.
- Once cooked, serve with chopped basil sprinkled on top.
Notes
- We used cheddar and mozzarella on top, but you could swap it for Parmesan and goats cheese instead.
- Keep this vegetarian by swapping out the chicken and using chunks of roasted aubergine or tofu instead. You could even for a seafood version and use king prawns or tuna instead.
- If you want the sauce a little bit sweeter, a glug of good quality balsamic vinegar would go a long way. Or maybe turn up the heat by adding some chilli flakes.
- Feel free to use different types of pasta if you already have some in your cupboard.
- This is a good opportunity to sneak in lots of extra vegetables. Spinach, chopped peppers and mushrooms work well.
- You could use leftover shredded chicken in this too.
- Always cook your pasta for a couple of minutes less than usual with making a pasta bake, as it will cook more in the oven.
Tiffini
After read and watching your video recipe. Now I can cooke perfect creamy tomato and chicken pasta recipe. Thanks for share.
Julia in Australia
I've made this twice now, it's quick, easy, delicious, and the kids devour it so it will become a regular in the rotation! I threw in a couple of carrots and a red capsicum (pepper), chopped finely in the food processor for extra veggies. One time it was a last minute decision to make this so I had to use what I had in the fridge so the cream cheese was substituted with low fat ricotta and shallots for an ordinary onion, still delicious. NB there is a typo in the recipe, it doesn't say when to add the vegetable stock. I threw it in along with the can of tomatoes.
Dannii
So glad you enjoyed it and I am glad you found a way to adapt it to use what you had too. Thanks for letting us know about the typo too!
Olga
It looks perfect and tasty! Can’t wait to have this anytime of the day, love it!
Hannah
Yum! This looks like such a comforting meal for the colder months!
Kelly Anthony
This is a perfect recipe for a busy weeknight meal. Everyone will love this creamy tomato and chicken pasta bake.
Noelle
Made this last weekend, loved it!!
Mike Hultquist
This is so cheesy and saucy, and basically just REALLY tasty. We loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
Helen @ family-friends-food.com
This looks great! We have a pasta bake about once a week, so I'll bookmark this and have a go at the vegetarian version. Thanks!
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Raj
Amazing food!! Thanks for the shared
shimul
I can see why you have been making this for so long, what a great solid recipe. I agree when it comes to cheese, quality over quantity every time!
Punam Paul
My son is a fan of pasta and that with chicken and cheese. Yummy the only word I will hear from him. Going to cook for him today evening.
Sara | Belly Rumbles
I can see why you have been making this for so long, what a great solid recipe. I agree when it comes to cheese, quality over quantity every time!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
Yummmm! I can't resist a creamy pasta bake, especially with that cheesy topping. Perfect :)
Marisa Moore
This is just right for a weeknight dinner especially with our chilly weather lately!
Julia
I like pasta bakes but often feel guilty about the amount of cheese I use.Will try using strong-flavored cheese in a smaller amount next time so! Thanks for the tip.
Holly
I love how you packed this full of veggies. Looks like a perfect make ahead dish for my family to enjoy on our busy weeknights.
Jen
Looks like the perfect family dinner. Yum!
Sonal
So comforting and yummy. It’s perfect for this cold weather. Liked how you have covered the post in detail.