Recipe Background
It's as scrumptious as it is straightforward! Chicken Penne Bake bakes up tender penne with golden, juicy chicken in a rich, bright, and sweet tomato sauce. With plenty of cheese, bursts of garden-fresh bell pepper flavor, and just the slightest amount of heat, this Chicken Penne Bake covers all the bases! It's the dinner you look forward to all day long!
It's as scrumptious as it is straightforward! Chicken Penne Bake bakes up tender penne with golden, juicy chicken in a rich, bright, and sweet tomato sauce. With plenty of cheese, bursts of garden-fresh bell pepper flavor, and just the slightest amount of heat, this Chicken Penne Bake covers all the bases! It's the dinner you look forward to all day long!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups penne pasta uncooked
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 pound chicken thighs boneless and skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 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 park-skim mozzarella shredded
- 1/2 cup Romano cheese grated
- fresh parsley optional, to taste, minced, for garnish
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
- Cook the penne to al dente, according to the package directions. Drain the penne.
- In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add the chicken, the onion, the green bell pepper, the red bell pepper, the basil, the oregano, the parsley, the salt, and the crushed red pepper flakes to the hot oil and sauté, until the chicken is no longer pink and it reaches 165 degrees F internally, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- In a blender, pulse the diced tomatoes and the tomato paste, covered, until blended.
- Add the tomato mixture to the chicken mixture.
- Stir in the chicken broth.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat and cover the saucepan.
- Simmer the mixture until slightly thickened, about 10-15 minutes.
- Toss the penne with the chicken mixture.
- Spoon 1/2 of the chicken-penne mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the chicken-penne layer with 1/2 of the mozzarella and 1/2 of the Romano cheese.
- Repeat the layers.
- Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and bake until heated through, about 15-20 minutes.
- Garnish with the parsley and serve.
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