Saturday, June 9, 2012

Pesto Chicken Casserole


I made this and my kids all held their noses telling me the smell was too strong.  They didn't want to try it.  Once I convinced them to put a bite in their mouth, every one of them changed their minds about what they thought.  This is very tasty!
*This makes a lot so you can freeze half for another meal.





  • 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 (16 ounce) box pasta
  • 6 cups cubed cooked chicken
  • 4 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
  • 3 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (15 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce
  • 1 (8 ounce) jar pesto sauce
  • 1 cups milk

Directions


  1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and a 8x8-inch dish. Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil in a small bowl until evenly moistened; set aside.
  2. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the penne, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.
  3. Meanwhile, combine the chicken in a bowl with the Italian cheese blend, spinach, tomatoes, alfredo sauce, pesto sauce, and milk. Stir in the pasta once done, and scoop into the prepared baking dish. Top with the bread crumb mixture.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly and golden brown on top, 40 to 45 minutes.

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