Description
This creamy chicken mushroom pasta bake with spinach is easy, tasty, and perfect for sharing!
Ingredients
- Butter: 1/2 cup
- Skinless Chicken Breasts: 2 breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- Onions: 1, diced
- Mushrooms: 1 pound, sliced
- Pasta Shells (or any pasta noodles): 1 pound
- Flour: 3 tablespoons
- Warm Milk: 3 cups
- Garlic Powder: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: 1/2 teaspoon
- Pepper: 1/4 teaspoon
- Mozzarella Cheese: 4 cups
- Frozen Spinach: 1 cup, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Sautee: Heat a large pan on medium heat and add 1/4 cup of butter. Once the butter melts, add the chicken and cook it until it is no longer pink and has slightly browned. Scoop out the chicken and add the onions and mushrooms and cook until they're soft, crispy, and the mushrooms have shrunk significantly. Add the chicken back in and remove it from the heat.
- Boil the pasta: Cook the pasta in a large pot following the package directions.
- Make the sauce: Add 1/4 cup of butter to a small pot on low heat. Once melted, add the flour and constantly stir until paste-like, about 1 minute. Slowly add the warm milk and increase the heat to medium-high. Stir vigorously until the mixture has slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in 3 cups of mozzarella until melted, then the spinach, and then pour the sauce into the pan and mix with the chicken mixture.
- Bake: Transfer the cooked pasta to a 9x13 baking dish, pour the sauce mixture over it, sprinkle it with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella, and bake uncovered on the middle rack for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt and slightly golden.
Notes
Cook the pasta noodles a few minutes less than the package says (to al dente) because after boiling the pasta it still needs to bake and you don't want to overcook it because it'll become mushy.
Fix sticky noodles. After draining the noodles, if they start sticking to each other just rinse them with some water and they will easily release from one another.
Opt for block mozzarella. Pre-shredded mozzarella is fine, but if you shred it yourself, it melts better.
Nutrition facts are for informational purposes only. We are not responsible for any errors. We have tested the recipe for accuracy, but your results may vary. Please note that this is not medical or nutrition advice. Seek advice from a licensed professional if you need advice. We are not liable for any damages caused by your use of this content.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian