Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Cheesy pasta mixed with chicken, broccoli, mushrooms, bacon, and sun dried tomatoes all enveloped in a creamy sauce and baked with a crunchy topping. Uses a mix of shredded cheese, heavy cream, and sour cream with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cooks until bubbling and golden brown on top. Midweek dinner or hearty weekend comfort food. Requires pasta, cooked chicken, veggies, and pantry staples. Offers flexibility in ingredients, substitutions, and timing based on visual cues rather than exact minutes.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
25 min
Total:
45 min
Servings:
8 servings
#casserole
#pasta bake
#comfort food
#baked pasta
#chicken recipes
Ever stared down a casserole that falls flat? Happens when sauce is runny or topping soggy. Learned to fix that by tweaking cheese ratios, adding sour cream for tang and silkiness, and trusting visual doneness cues over timers. Cheese melts with heavy cream into a luscious, thick sauce clinging to every pasta curve. Crispy bread crumbs on top—a must for texture contrast. Fold ingredients gently, so the delicate veggies don’t crush but get enough coverage. Watch for bubbles licking the edges and a golden crust that smells smoky-nutty. Brings back memories of simpler meals with bold flavors and fewer steps. This mix has saved me many nights from dry chicken or mushy pasta disasters. The joy? Smelling it bake, seeing the bubbling clouds of steam when opened, and that first forkful layered with crunchy, creamy, smoky. Not just dinner but kitchen win.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked pasta (fusilli, rotini, or penne)
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie or leftovers)
- 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets, steamed
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms, sautéed or raw
- 5 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or mix with Monterey Jack)
- 1 cup heavy cream (sub with whole milk + 2 tsp cornstarch if needed)
- 1 cup sour cream (Greek yogurt works too)
- 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt (adjust as needed)
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional, can skip)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs (panko or regular)
About the ingredients
Cheese mix is key; sharp cheddar packs flavor but blend with Monterey Jack or mozzarella for milder melt. Heavy cream can be swapped with whole milk plus cornstarch for lighter option but expect less richness. Sour cream adds tang and body here; Greek yogurt works if you want probiotic boost but watch tartness. Pasta shapes like fusilli or rotini hold sauce best. Pre-cook chicken (leftovers or rotisserie saves time). Veggie swaps—broccoli best steamed to soften and retain color; avoid frozen if too watery. Mushrooms free to sauté or toss raw but cooked release more flavor and less water into bake. Sun dried tomatoes: oil-packed adds richness; dry-packed soak in warm water to soften before folding in. Bacon crisp and crumbled—not cooked soft or it adds unwanted grease to bake. Breadcrumb topping seals moisture; panko for crisp, regular for classic crunch; toss with melted butter for richer crust if you like. Salt and pepper—season throughout to avoid bland final taste.
Method
Prep and Assemble
- Start by preheating oven to 380°F. Spray a large casserole dish liberally with cooking spray so nothing sticks later; trust me on this one. Toss pasta, chicken, broccoli, mushrooms, bacon, and sun dried tomatoes in a big bowl, get ready for sauce.
- In a separate bowl, whisk shredded cheese with heavy cream and sour cream until mostly smooth. Stir in Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to taste. This combo is the glue that holds everything, don’t skimp on seasoning here or it tastes flat.
- Pour sauce over the pasta mix. Fold gently but thoroughly until all pieces are coated well. You want even coverage, not clumps of dry pasta. Transfer to the baking dish and spread out with a spoon or spatula evenly.
Topping and Bake
- Sprinkle bread crumbs evenly over the top. Panko adds crispier crunch but regular works fine. If you’ve got Parmesan, sprinkle some on top for bonus flavor. A pat of butter mixed into crumbs makes golden crust better but optional.
- Slide dish into oven on center rack. You’re looking for bubbling edges and a golden-brown crunchy top. This usually takes 25-30 minutes but ovens vary. Flames licking at edges and a light smoky scent—perfect. If it looks too pale after 30 minutes, give it 3-5 more and watch close.
Finishing
- Let it rest five minutes before diving in. Cooling gives sauce time to thicken and settle—avoid sloppy burns. The casserole should hold shape but still pull apart easily with a fork. The top will be crisp while inside stays creamy and cheesy.
Tips and Tweaks
- No chicken? Use cooked turkey or roasted tofu chunks for a twist. Swap broccoli for cauliflower or green beans. Mushrooms can be left out or replaced with bell peppers for crunch. Too thick sauce? Add a splash of milk before baking.
- If sauce is watery after mixing, a quick shake of cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water) fixes consistency before baking. For spice lovers, more red pepper flakes or diced jalapeño folded in before baking livens things up.
- Breadcrumb topping can get soggy if covered too soon—keep uncovered. Leftovers reheat well covered in oven or microwave but topping loses some crispness. To bring crunch back, toast under broiler briefly but watch closely. Always keep extra shredded cheese on hand for topping or mixing.
- Pasta timing matters: al dente works best so bake time doesn’t overcook pasta and turn mushy. Use dry pasta cooked one minute less than package suggests, especially if freshly boiled. Leftover cooked pasta is fine but may soak up sauce differently.
Troubleshooting
- Sauce too thin and watery after mixing? Add extra cheese and sour cream or thickener. Sauce too thick? Add cream or milk little by little. If casserole is dry after baking, next time add more cream or leftover pasta water.
- If bacon is soggy instead of crispy, ensure it is fully cooked first or toss on top last 10 minutes uncovered.
- Undercooked broccoli? Steam or sauté before folding in; raw buds stay crunchy but can taste grassy. Mushrooms release liquid; sautéing first helps reduce moisture and intensify flavor. Sun dried tomatoes bring tang but swap for roasted red peppers for milder sweetness.
Cooking tips
Start with room-temperature ingredients; sauce emulsifies better. Mix cheeses and dairy until no big lumps for even melting. Fold in pasta and mix-ins with care—not to mush veggies or break pasta. Evenly spreading in dish ensures uniform cooking; thin layers dry faster but risk crust burn, thicker may stay underdone inside. Breadcrumb topping crucial for texture contrast; skipping it means less crunch and less appealing look. Bake uncovered to get that toasted top; covering creates steam and sogginess. Watch oven carefully near end—top can brown quickly. Resting after bake thickens sauce and helps flavors meld—don’t rush. Adjust bake times based on bubbling and crust color not just clock. Reheating covered keeps moist; crisp crust returns with quick broil but do not burn. This method gives control and delicious results every time. Always taste mix before baking to correct seasonings.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Skip mushy broccoli; steam but not too soft. Still want some snap or it turns mush quickly when folded in. Sauté mushrooms if watery raw, cuts moisture, intensifies flavor. Bacon crispness matters; crumble after fully cooked, not soft or greasy. Use bread crumbs dry or toss lightly with melted butter for crunch; panko crunchier but regular still works. Parmesan optional, adds sharp salt hit on top; use sparingly if salty cheese mix already strong.
- 💡 Cheese mix - sharp cheddar packs punch but blend with Monterey Jack or mozzarella for smoother melt. Heavy cream thickens sauce but can swap milk plus cornstarch slurry; sauce thinner? Add slurry gradually and whisk before pouring. Fold pasta gently with sauce; rough mixing breaks pasta or veggies. Even coat all bits for layers of sauce flavor, no dry clumps. Watch for lumps when combining sour cream, cheese, cream; room temp helps blend smooth.
- 💡 Timing varies oven to oven. Bubbling edges trigger doneness, not exact minutes. Golden brown crust top is signal to pull out; too pale means more time, watch closely to avoid burning. Don’t cover baking dish; traps steam, kills crunch topping. Let rest 5 minutes minimum after baking; sauce thickens and flavors meld. Too thick sauce pre-bake? Thin with a splash milk but not too watery or final bake gets weepy. Sauce watery? Extra cheese or sour cream thickens.
- 💡 Leftover pasta works best cooked al dente minus a minute or two on stove; pasta absorbs sauce better if less cooked. Substitute turkey or tofu for chicken if needed; tofu chunks best marinated or pan fried first for flavor. Veggie swaps easy; cauliflower or green beans instead of broccoli. Mushrooms optional but enhance texture. Sun dried tomatoes oil packed richer; dry packed soak in warm water before adding to soften.
- 💡 Breadcrumb topping soggy if covered too soon, keep uncovered entire bake. If leftovers lose crunch, toast under broiler briefly but watch fast; topping burns easily. Bacon crumble added top last 10 minutes keeps crisp. Sauce thick enough to coat but not drown pasta; add more cream or leftover pasta water if dry outcome before bake. Visual rather than strict timing cues best, flames licking edges and that smoky scent signal bake complete.
Common questions
How to know when pasta bake is done?
Look for bubbling edges around casserole. Golden top crust, crunchy to touch. Oven heat varies, so check after 25 minutes then every few. Pale topping means longer bake. Don’t rely on timer alone.
What if sauce is too watery?
Add cornstarch slurry small amounts pre-bake to thicken. Also try extra cheese or sour cream for richness. Can scoop out some liquid before baking if runny. Avoid water logged veggies, steam instead of soak.
How to keep breadcrumb topping crunchy after baking?
Bake uncovered whole time; covering traps steam making soggy topping. Leftovers reheat covered but worth quick broil to bring crunch back. Butter in crumbs helps crisp texture but optional.
Can I swap ingredients?
Chicken for turkey or tofu good substitute but marinate tofu first to add flavor. Broccoli swapped for cauliflower or green beans, mushrooms optional. Cheese types adjustable; cheddar strong, Monterey Jack or mozzarella milder. Heavy cream replace with milk + cornstarch mix.
