This easy chicken pasta bake with mascarpone cheese, garlic and tomatoes is a firm family favourite in our house. It’s super comforting and easy to make, and makes delicious leftovers the next day, too.
I use mascarpone in this recipe and no cream as I prefer the cheesy-ness and it’s reminiscent of the jarred pasta bakes I used to enjoy as a kid, too (only WAY better).
I find pasta dishes go very far – so whilst this recipe uses 2 chicken breasts it easily feeds our family of 3 with leftovers. You can always add more chicken, bacon or even veggies (like peppers or sweetcorn) if you want. I tend to reheat this in the microwave if eating as leftovers.
I find this an easy meal to make because the chicken and sauce is all made in one pan (ideally, one which is both oven and hob safe) and then you just add in the cooked pasta and cheese and bake. The pan I use (and LOVE) is my Le Creuset Shallow Casserole dish.
How to make an easy chicken pasta bake with mascarpone:
Scroll down for full recipe card and ingredient list.
1. Begin by preheating your oven to 180C
2. Then cut your 2 chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and finely dice 1 onion and peel and crush 3-4 garlic cloves
3. Then, heat oil in a oven friendly pan (if you have one) – else, start the recipe in a normal frying pan and you’ll transfer into an oven dish later on.
Heat the oil and add in the chicken and 1 tbsp of Italian seasoning
Add another pan to the hob with water and turn to a high heat – this is to warm the water to add pasta
4. Once the chicken is beginning to brown add in the onions and garlic – and add your pasta into the pan of boiling water
6. Cook the onions, garlic and chicken stirring oven until theres some browning on the chicken and the onions are cooked (about 5 minutes)
7. Then, add in the tinned tomatoes, salt and sugar
8. And stir through the mascarpone sauce. By now your pasta should also be cooked – or almost. Turn off the heat on the chicken mascarpone mix until the pasta is cooked through.
9. Then use a slotted spoon to transfer the pasta to the saucy chicken. If you have been cooking in an ovenrpoof dish, do this within the same pan. If the dish you have cooked your chicken in isn’t oven proof – then transfer both the saucy chicken sauce and drained pasta into an ovenproof dish.
10. Grate ontop your cheese – I used a mixture of cheddar and pecorino tonight
11. And bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted – serve and enjoy!
Easy Chicken Pasta Bake
An easy chicken pasta bake the whole family will love. Using lean chicken breast, tinned tomatoes and mascarpone cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 onion
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 Tbsp mascarpone cheese
- 400g tinned tomatoes
- 300g pasta
To top:
- Grated cheddar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C
- If you have a pan which is both oven-safe and hob-safe - use this (as in, a casserole dish or a cast iron skillet). Else, you can use a pan to cook the chicken and transfer this and the pasta into a oven proof dish later
- Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces, then peel and dice your garlic and onion
- Bring a saucepan of water to boil on medium heat and add the pasta once it's boiling - whilst this is happening, continue with steps 5-
- Meanwhile, heat oil in your chosen pan for the chicken - bring this to a medium heat then add in the chicken and Italian seasoning
- Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often then add in the onions and garlic
- Cook the onions, garlic and chicken stirring oven until there some browning on the chicken and the onions are cooked (about 5 more minutes)
- Then, add in the tinned tomatoes, salt and sugar and stir
- And then turn off the heat and stir through the mascarpone until the sauce is even in colour
- Then use a slotted spoon (if you have one) to transfer the pasta to the saucy chicken. I recommend this method so you have a little pasta water come over too which will help the sauce be glossy. If you don't have a slotted spoon, just drain the pasta and reserve 3 tbsp of pasta water and stir this into the sauce.
- If you have been cooking in an ovenproof dish, simply top this with the grated cheese and pop into the oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted
- If you have been cooking in a non-ovenproof dish, transfer to an ovenproof dish before adding on the cheese and baking.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 409Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 89mgSodium 574mgCarbohydrates 33gFiber 4gSugar 6gProtein 26g
Nutritional data provided here is only an estimate. If you're tracking these things for medical purposes please consult an outside, trusted source. Thanks!