Baked Chicken Pesto Pasta

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Made with vibrant pesto and leftover cooked chicken, this baked chicken pesto pasta is an easy family friendly dish.

Pasta is what I often turn to when I need an easy dish I know the family will enjoy. 

When spring hits, that means lots of pesto pasta, and this baked chicken pesto pasta is one of my personal favorites.

If your kids aren’t too sure about pesto yet, this is a good introduction. The recipe uses just a small amount in a cheesy, creamy sauce. 

It’s also a great way to use up any leftover cooked chicken, turning it into a cheesy, zesty baked pasta!

Ingredients for chicken pesto pasta

Full list of ingredients including quantities is located in the recipe card.

You’ll need:

Pasta – I used penne for the photos in this recipe, but you can use any pasta shape you like. 

Olive oil – Just a little bit

Ricotta – Creamy ricotta cheese forms the base of the sauce for this pasta. You can use regular or low-fat ricotta (or try making ricotta at home!).

Pesto – Use your favorite pesto. I like homemade walnut pesto, but any variety will do! Carrot top pesto is also a great option when basil isn’t in season.

Heavy cream – To add to the cheese mixture. You can also use whole milk instead.

Sun-dried tomatoes – Use the oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, not the ones that are dry in a bag. 

Cooked chicken – Diced or shredded cooked chicken will work. Use chicken breast or a mixture of light and dark meat. Leftover turkey works too!

Mozzarella – To melt over the top. I use shredded mozzarella, but you could also use fresh mozzarella slices. Keep in mind the fresh mozzarella will melt and brown faster, so you might want to add it only after uncovering the pasta.

How to make this recipe

First, preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick spray or olive oil and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta to al dente according to the package directions; this will depend on the shape of the pasta you’re using.

Reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water and drain pasta. Return to the pot and toss with olive oil to prevent sticking.

In a mixing bowl, mix together ricotta, pesto, and heavy cream. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed. 

Pour in the pasta and stir well to mix, adding in a little of the reserved pasta cooking water if needed to thin the sauce so it can coat the pasta.

Mix in the chicken and sun-dried tomatoes, then pour everything into the prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle on shredded mozzarella, then cover baking dish with foil. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 5 minutes, until cheese is melty.

Recipe suggestions

You can make this recipe meat-free by leaving out the chicken. Or, change up the flavor a bit by adding some cooked crumbled Italian sausage.

Vegetables are also a great addition. Try asparagus, sliced mushrooms, or cherry tomatoes.

To add some heat to the dish, mix in crushed red pepper flakes or a pinch of ground cayenne pepper.

If you don’t want to bake this dish, mix the ricotta, pesto, and cream in a large skillet and whisk until cheese is melted and smooth. Mix in the pasta, reserved pasta water, and mozzarella cheese. Stir to coat, then mix in the chicken and tomatoes, and serve.

This easy dinner recipe is going to be my go-to all summer long. Give it a try!