No-Boil Baked Chicken Pasta
Pasta dinners are often known for their quick preparation, but let's face it: Waiting for a pot of water to boil can feel like an eternity. However, there's a clever solution with this no-boil baked chicken pasta, where the oven does all the work. Unlike traditional baked pasta dishes, you'll skip the pot of boiling water and instead add more water directly to the baking dish. This not only reduces the number of dishes used but also gives you a hands-off approach, allowing some breathing room during dinnertime.This dish pays tribute to baked ziti but elevates it with the addition of chicken and spinach, using twirly fusilli pasta for a fun twist instead of ziti. Of course, if you prefer, you can opt for another short pasta like ziti, penne, or orecchiette. Likewise, you have the flexibility to change up the protein. Substitute cooked, crumbled sausage or ground beef for the rotisserie chicken, or omit the meat entirely for a vegetarian version.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 4 c. packed baby spinach (about 4 oz.)
- 3 c. chopped rotisserie chicken (from 1 rotisserie chicken)
- 1 (24-oz.) jar marinara sauce or 3 c. homemade marinara
- 3/4 lb. fusilli pasta
- 8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2" cubes
- 1/4 c. packed fresh basil, chopped, plus whole leaves for serving
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 c. water
- 1 (15-oz.) container whole-milk ricotta cheese (about 2 c.)
- 1/4 c. grated Parmesan (from about 1 oz.)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º. Grease a 13"-by-9" baking dish with cooking spray.
- In prepared dish, combine spinach, chicken, marinara, pasta, mozzarella, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Top with water and stir until well combined. Spread in an even layer and dollop ricotta over top, then sprinkle with Parmesan.
- Tightly cover dish with foil. Bake until pasta is about half cooked and sauce is bubbling, 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until pasta is cooked through and sauce is bubbly (sauce will continue to thicken as it cools), 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool 15 minutes. Top with more basil.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!