Baked Ziti with Chicken

A hearty one-pan meal with layers of chicken, tender pasta, flavorful pasta sauce, and melty cheese. Comfort food that can be ready to eat in just 30 minutes.

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Layers of chicken, tender pasta, flavorful pasta sauce, and melty cheese all cooked together to make a delicious pasta dish. Comfort food that is easy to make for a busy weeknight with less than 10 ingredients.

MORE RECIPES: Baked Ziti | Creamy Garlic Alfredo | Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta | Cheesy Pasta Recipes

Enjoy layers of pasta, chicken marinara sauce, and cheese in a hearty one-pan meal. Simple and easy enough to whip up for weeknight dinners while still classy enough for Sunday dinners, baked ziti with chicken will soon be one of your family’s favorite casseroles.

Cheesy, cozy, and comforting, baked ziti is perfect for entertaining or just a simple weeknight dinner. This quick pasta recipe is made with less than 10 simple ingredients, many that you already have in your pantry. 

Both filling and delicious, serve your baked ziti with a fresh green salad, glazed carrots, or cheesy bread. This satisfying dinner can be on the table in just 30 minutes.

Baked Ziti with Chicken Ingredients

• Noodles - box of ziti noodles
• Olive oil
• Chicken breasts - trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• Garlic cloves, minced
• Pasta sauce - a jar of your favorite pasta sauce or make your own
• Basil - fresh basil chopped
• Parmesan - grated parmesan
• Mozzarella - shredded mozzarella 

The ideal consistency for the pasta is al dente, where the pasta will be tender but will still have a slightly firm texture when you bite into it. If you don’t have ziti you can easily substitute penne instead. Don’t forget to add salt to the water so it will add flavor to the pasta while cooking. 

Baked ziti calls for bite-size pieces of chicken. If you don’t want to trim and cook chicken breasts you can also grab a rotisserie chicken from the store as a shortcut.

Give your finished dish a beautiful golden color by browning the cheese slightly. You can do this by turning your broiler on for the last minute of melting the cheese. Just make sure to keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.

How to Make Baked Ziti with Chicken

FIRST STEP: Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

SECOND STEP: Cook pasta to al dente, drain well, and return to pan.

THIRD STEP: Generously season chicken with salt and pepper.

FOURTH STEP: Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

FIFTH STEP: When the chicken is done, add two cloves of minced garlic to the skillet and cook another minute, until the garlic is fragrant.

SIXTH STEP: Stir sauce, chicken, and basil into your pasta, making sure everything is evenly coated.

SEVENTH STEP: Pour half of your pasta mixture into the baking dish. Top with ½ cup parmesan and 1 cup mozzarella. Pour remaining pasta on top.

EIGHTH STEP: Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover, top with ½ cup parmesan and 1 cup mozzarella and bake, uncovered for 8 minutes.

NINTH STEP: Top with additional chopped basil, if desired.

Can I freeze this pasta dish? 

Baked ziti is great for freezing. Cover the dish tightly with foil and put it in the freezer for up to three months. You can also make the dish ahead of time and freeze it to bake later. 

How do I know when my pasta is al dente? 

Al dente pasta will be tender and will still have a slightly firm texture when you bite into it. To test your pasta for al dente, take a bite of the pasta a minute or two before the package instructions indicate it should be done. 

Can I use a different type of pasta? 

Either penne pasta or rigatoni can be used instead of ziti. 

How to Store Baked Ziti with Chicken 

IN THE FRIDGE:  Store leftover baked ziti in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.  

IN THE FREEZER: Cool baked ziti completely before freezing. Cover tightly with foil and store in the freezer for 2 to 3 months. Reheat in the oven for an hour covered and then uncover and bake for another 10 minutes.

Baked Ziti with Chicken

A hearty one-pan meal with layers of chicken, tender pasta, flavorful pasta sauce, and melty cheese. Comfort food that can be ready to eat in just 30 minutes.

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5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine Casserole

Servings 10

Calories 363 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 16-ounce box of ziti noodles
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound chicken breasts trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 28-ounce jar of your favorite pasta sauce or make your own
• 1 0.5-ounce package of fresh basil chopped (about ⅓ cup)
• 1 cup grated parmesan divided into two ½ cups
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella divided into two 1 cup portions

DIRECTIONS

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
• Cook pasta to al dente, drain well and return to pan.
• Generously season chicken with salt and pepper.
• Heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle.
• When the chicken is done, add two cloves of minced garlic to the skillet and cook another minute, until the garlic is fragrant.
• Stir sauce, chicken, and basil into your pasta, making sure everything is evenly coated.
• Pour half of your pasta mixture into the baking dish. Top with ½ cup parmesan and 1 cup mozzarella. Pour remaining pasta on top.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover, top with ½ cup parmesan and 1 cup mozzarella and bake, uncovered for 8 minutes.
• Top with additional chopped basil, if desired.

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Notes

TIP: Don’t forget to add salt to the water. It adds flavor to the pasta while cooking.

TIP: Al dente is the ideal consistency for pasta. The pasta will be tender and will still have a slightly firm texture when you bite into it.

TIP: If you want to brown your cheese slightly, you can turn your broiler on for the last minute of melting the cheese. Make sure to keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.

Nutrition

Calories: 363kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 765mg | Potassium: 568mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 250mg | Iron: 2mg

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