Chicken Pesto Alfredo Pasta
User Reviews
4.3
Chicken Pesto Alfredo Pasta
Description
This Chicken Pesto Alfredo Pasta starts with a simple white sauce made by cooking butter and flour, then adding chicken broth until thickened. Cooked penne pasta is mixed with the sauce, cooked chicken, Italian cheese blend, fresh spinach, crushed tomatoes, milk, and basil pesto, creating a creamy and flavorful filling. The casserole is topped with a blend of parmesan, Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, chopped crispy bacon, and olive oil to form a crunchy topping once baked.
Baking the dish at 350°F for 45 minutes melts the cheese and crisps the topping, adding texture to the creamy pasta beneath. This pasta balances the richness of alfredo components and cheese with the acidity of crushed tomatoes and freshness of spinach and pesto, making it a filling main dish.
The recipe suggests using rotisserie chicken and leftover bacon for convenience, and it can be prepared ahead and frozen before baking for meal planning needs. Portioning into smaller servings before freezing allows easy reheating.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 16 oz penne pasta cooked al dente and drained
- 4 cups chicken cubed, cooked
- 4 cups Italian cheese blend 16 ounces, shredded
- 3 cups spinach fresh baby
- 15 oz crushed tomatoes canned
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3 tbsp basil pesto
- 3/4 cup Bacon crispy, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs Italian seasoned
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Make a simple white sauce by melting butter in a pan over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour over melted butter and whisk constantly for 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Then add in chicken broth and whisk quickly together. Cook over heat until it’s thick and bubbles up. Set white sauce aside.
- Cook penne pasta according to package directions. Drain noodles and then dump them into a large mixing bowl.
- Add in white sauce, cooked chicken, cheese, spinach, crushed tomatoes, milk, pesto and 1/2 cup of the bacon. Mix well.
- Pour pasta into a 9x13 baking dish.
- In a separate bowl mix together parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, remaining bacon and olive oil.
- Cover pasta with bread crumb mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
MAKE IT A FREEZER MEAL
- Before baking cover with foil, label and freeze. Thaw, remove foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
Notes
- Using rotisserie chicken and leftover bacon speeds up preparation without sacrificing flavor.
- Portion the pasta into smaller containers before freezing for convenient individual meals.
- Freeze before baking by covering with foil, then thaw and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes for best results.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 918 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1g | |
| Calories | 918kcal | 46% |
| Carbohydrates | 80g | 27% |
| Protein | 41g | 82% |
| Fat | 49g | 75% |
| Saturated Fat | 16g | 80% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 67mg | 22% |
| Sodium | 1165mg | 49% |
| Potassium | 700mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 2142IU | 43% |
| Vitamin C | 16mg | 18% |
| Calcium | 411mg | 41% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.3
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