About
Taking a bite of Comforting Chicken Penne Casserole is like wrapping a warm blanket around your soul; it's exactly what you need on a cold winter night! The penne pasta is tender-cooked and saturated in a rich, seasoned, homemade tomato sauce, making this casserole extra heartening. Comforting Chicken Penne Casserole has a deeply savory chicken flavor with just a hint of garden brightness from fresh bell peppers, creating a delightful variety of tastes in every bite. This cheesy dinner nourishes body and spirit alike to bring a long day to a refreshing close!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 pound chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup sweet red pepper, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
- 1/2 cup Romano cheese, grated and divided
Directions
Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 -Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
Step 3 -Cook the pasta according to package directions.
Step 4 -While the pasta cooks heat the canola oil in a large saucepan on the stove-top over medium heat.
Step 5 -Add the chicken, onion, green pepper, red pepper, dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, salt, and red pepper flakes.
Step 6 -Sauté until the chicken is no longer pink.
Step 7 -Add the garlic to the saucepan and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 8 -In a blender, pour in the diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Cover the blender and pulse until well-blended.
Step 9 -Add the tomato mixture to the sautéed chicken mixture in the saucepan, mixing to combine.
Step 10 -Stir in the chicken broth.
Step 11 -Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture in the saucepan to a boil.
Step 12 -Reduce the heat, cover, and let the mixture simmer until slightly thickened, about 10-15 minutes.
Step 13 -Drain the pasta and toss it with the chicken mixture.
Step 14 -Spoon half the chicken pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Step 15 -Sprinkle the mixture in the baking dish with half the mozzarella and half the Romano cheeses. Repeat the layers in the baking dish.
Step 16 -Cover the baking dish and bake for 30 minutes.
Step 17 -Uncover the baking dish and bake until heated through, for about 15-20 minutes. Serve hot!
