A hearty, comforting chicken pasta bake with a rich tomato sauce and plenty of gooey melted cheese. It’s the kind of dinner everyone loves, simple, satisfying, and perfect for any day of the week.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Creamy, cheesy, and full of flavour
- Great for using up leftover cooked chicken
- Family-friendly and easy to adapt
- Freezer-friendly, perfect for batch cooking
What You Need
For exact ingredients and quantities, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Olive Oil
Used to soften the onion and cook the chicken until lightly golden.
Onion and Garlic
The flavour base for the sauce, fresh or pre-chopped frozen both work well.
Chopped Tomatoes
Two tins create a rich, hearty tomato base. You can also use passata for a smoother texture.
Dried Mixed Herbs
Use a premixed blend of dried mixed herbs, or use individual herbs such as oregano, basil, parsley etc.
Caster Sugar
Just a teaspoon helps round out the acidity of the tomatoes.
Boneless Chicken Thighs
Tender and full of flavour, they stay juicy during baking. You can swap for chicken breasts if you prefer.
Pasta
Penne, rigatoni, or fusilli hold the sauce beautifully.
Cheddar and Mozzarella
Cheddar adds rich flavour, while mozzarella gives that perfect gooey melt, a delicious combination. For an even creamier sauce, stir through a spoonful of mascarpone, or sprinkle over some Parmesan before baking for extra flavour.
Parsley (optional)
Adds a fresh, herby finish.
Making It
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until just al dente, it will finish cooking in the oven.
While the pasta cooks, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat and add the chopped onion and garlic. Cook gently for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
Add the diced chicken and cook for a few minutes until sealed on all sides. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, caster sugar, and dried mixed herbs, then season well with salt and black pepper. Let the sauce simmer gently while the pasta finishes cooking.
Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the chicken and tomato sauce. Stir well to coat everything evenly, then mix through a handful of the grated cheese so it melts into the sauce, this gives the bake a lovely creamy texture.
Transfer the mixture to a oven dish and scatter the remaining cheese over the top. Bake at 200°C (180°C fan) / 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden.
Finish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and serve with a crisp green salad or garlic bread.
Storage and Reheating
Leftovers keep really well, making this an ideal make-ahead or next-day meal.
Once cooled, store the pasta bake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, cover and place in the oven at 180°C (160°C fan) for about 15–20 minutes, or until piping hot all the way through. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for 2–3 minutes, stirring halfway.
To freeze, portion into containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.
More Pasta Dishes
If you enjoyed this Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake, you might also like:
- Spaghetti Carbonara
- Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
- Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta
- Sausage Pasta
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Cheese and Bacon Pasta Bake
- Pressure Cooker Macaroni Cheese
Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake
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Ingredients
- 300 g pasta penne, fusilli, or rigatoni
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 500 g boneless chicken thighs diced (or chicken breasts)
- 800 g tinned chopped tomatoes 2 x 400g tins
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 125 g cheddar cheese grated
- 75 g mozzarella cheese grated
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley to serve
Instructions
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until just al dente, it will finish cooking in the oven.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
- Add the diced chicken and cook for a few minutes until sealed and lightly golden. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, caster sugar, and dried mixed herbs. Season well with salt and pepper, then let the sauce simmer gently while the pasta finishes cooking.
- Drain the pasta and stir it into the chicken and tomato sauce until evenly coated. Mix through a handful of the grated cheese so it melts into the sauce.
- Transfer everything to a lightly greased oven dish and scatter the remaining cheese over the top. Bake at 200°C (180°C fan) / 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden.
- Optionally sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an estimate.