The Ultimate Chicken Mozzarella Pasta Bake: Cheesy, Saucy Perfection

Are you on the hunt for that perfect weeknight meal that feels like a comforting embrace in a dish? Something that gathers the entire family around the dinner table with minimal effort but exceptional taste? We completely understand. Amidst a sea of complex recipes and hectic schedules, what we often crave is a dish that’s soothing, dependable, and absolutely delicious. Your search ends here. Our Chicken Mozzarella Pasta recipe is the answer you’ve been looking for. It’s a magnificent fusion of succulent chicken, a flavour-packed tomato and herb sauce, flawlessly cooked pasta, and, naturally, a generous topping of beautifully melted mozzarella cheese. This isn’t just a meal; it’s a moment of pure comfort waiting to be savoured.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Incredibly Flavourful: We expertly blend a rich, savoury tomato sauce infused with classic Italian herbs, tender pan-fried chicken, and a duo of cheeses to create a depth of flavour that is truly irresistible.
• A True Family Favourite: This dish is a guaranteed winner with everyone. The delightful and straightforward combination of pasta, chicken, and cheese appeals to both grown-ups and youngsters.
• Perfect for Meal Prep: We find this dish tastes even more wonderful the following day! It stands as an ideal recipe to prepare in advance for effortless lunches or a speedy dinner later in the week.
• Simple & Straightforward: We utilise readily available ingredients and provide clear, step-by-step guidance, making this impressive dish achievable even for those new to cooking. It is the very definition of an easy chicken casserole.
• Ultimate Comfort Food: Warm, cheesy, and satisfyingly hearty, this pasta bake is the ideal meal for a cosy evening in, a gathering with friends, or any time you’re in need of a comforting lift.

Ingredients for Your Chicken Mozzarella Pasta

Before we dive in, let’s get all our ingredients in order. We firmly believe that exceptional meals begin with high-quality components. For this particular recipe, you won’t require anything overly elaborate—just simple, fresh ingredients that meld together wonderfully. Here is everything you will need:

For the Chicken and Pasta

• Chicken Breasts: 2 large (about 500g), boneless and skinless, cut into bite-sized chunks.
• Pasta: 300g of a short, sturdy pasta like penne, rigatoni, or fusilli.
• Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons, for cooking the chicken.
• Salt and Black Pepper: To season the chicken and the pasta water.

For the Rich Tomato Sauce

• Onion: 1 medium, finely chopped.
• Garlic: 3 cloves, minced.
• Chopped Tomatoes: 2 x 400g tins of good quality chopped tomatoes.
• Tomato Purée: 2 tablespoons.
• Dried Oregano: 1 teaspoon.
• Dried Basil: 1 teaspoon.
• Sugar: 1 teaspoon (optional, to balance the acidity of the tomatoes).
• Olive Oil: 1 tablespoon.

For the Cheesy Topping

• Fresh Mozzarella: 2 x 125g balls, torn or sliced.
• Parmesan Cheese: 50g, freshly grated.
• Fresh Basil: A small handful, for garnish.

Step-by-Step Guide to the Perfect Bake

Now that we have all our ingredients assembled, it’s time to craft our culinary masterpiece. We have broken the entire process down into simple, easy-to-follow steps. Just follow along, and you will have a magnificent baked chicken pasta gracing your table before you know it.

1. Preheat and Prep: To begin, preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C Fan/Gas Mark 6). Lightly grease a large ovenproof dish (approximately 9×13 inches) and put it to one side.
2. Cook the Pasta: Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a vigorous boil. Add your chosen pasta and cook according to the packet directions, but be sure to drain it about 2 minutes early. It needs to be ‘al dente’ as it will continue cooking in the oven. Once ready, drain the pasta and set it aside.
3. Cook the Chicken: While your pasta is on the boil, season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, deep frying pan or a Dutch oven over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring from time to time, until it is golden brown and cooked all the way through. It is vital to ensure chicken is properly cooked; you can find the latest advice from the Food Standards Agency for guidance. Take the cooked chicken out of the pan and set it aside.
4. Create the Sauce: Using the same pan, add the final tablespoon of olive oil. Add your chopped onion and sauté for around 5 minutes until it has softened and turned translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for one more minute until it becomes fragrant. Next, pour in the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, oregano, basil, and the optional sugar. Mix everything together, bring it to a simmer, and allow it to bubble away gently for 10 minutes so the flavours can fully develop. For a smokier twist, you might even consider using our homemade Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce instead.
5. Bring It All Together: Reintroduce the cooked chicken to the pan containing the sauce. Now, add the drained pasta and gently stir until both the pasta and chicken are evenly coated in the rich tomato sauce. Have a little taste and adjust the seasoning with extra salt and pepper if you feel it’s needed.
6. Assemble Your Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake: Carefully transfer the pasta mixture into your prepared ovenproof dish, spreading it out in an even layer. Now for our favourite part! Arrange the pieces of torn or sliced fresh mozzarella across the top of the pasta. To finish, sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the mozzarella. This wonderful double-cheese layer is the secret to making this dish so special.
7. Bake to Golden Perfection: Pop the dish into your preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the sauce is bubbling up the sides and the cheese on top has melted into a golden, lightly browned blanket.
8. Rest and Garnish: Cautiously take the dish out of the oven and let it rest for 5–10 minutes. This is a very important step! It allows the bake to settle, which makes it much easier to serve. Garnish with a scattering of fresh basil leaves just before serving.

Expert Tips for the Best Results

To help you elevate your pasta bake from simply great to truly unforgettable, we’ve compiled a few of our most valued tips and tricks.

• Don’t Overcook the Pasta: This is our single most important tip! Cooking the pasta to al dente is crucial, as it will absorb moisture from the sauce and cook further in the oven. If you overcook it at the start, you’ll end up with a mushy bake.
• Use Fresh Mozzarella: While pre-shredded mozzarella will do in a pinch, using fresh balls of mozzarella provides that amazing ‘cheese pull’ and a far creamier texture. Just remember to pat it dry with a paper towel to get rid of any excess water.
• Season Generously: Fantastic flavour is built in layers. Ensure you salt your pasta water, season the chicken properly, and taste the sauce before you combine all the elements. A well-seasoned dish truly stands out.
• Let It Rest: We know how tempting it is to serve this immediately, but giving your cheesy tomato chicken pasta a few minutes to rest after baking is essential. It helps all the layers to set, making for much neater portions.

How to Serve and Store Your Pasta Bake

This wonderful Italian chicken pasta dish is a hearty meal all by itself, but it also pairs splendidly with a couple of simple accompaniments. We particularly enjoy serving it with a fresh green salad drizzled with a light vinaigrette and some warm, crusty garlic bread to soak up every last bit of the delicious sauce.

Storing and Reheating

One of the greatest advantages of this recipe is how well it keeps. You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, you can either microwave single servings or place the dish back in the oven, covered with foil, at 180°C until it’s heated through.

FAQ

A Dish Worth Sharing

And there you have it—a straightforward yet truly spectacular Chicken Mozzarella Pasta recipe that we are confident will become a firm favourite in your home. It’s the perfect harmony of comforting, cheesy, and flavourful, capturing everything we adore about Italian-inspired home cooking. This dish is proof that you don’t need complicated methods or exotic ingredients to make something genuinely memorable.

So, why wait any longer? Put on your apron, gather your ingredients, and prepare to create a meal that is guaranteed to win you glowing praise. We promise this is a recipe you will come back to time and time again. If you had fun making this, we believe you’ll also love our equally cherished Marry Me Chicken Pasta Recipe. We would be delighted to see your cheesy masterpieces! Tag us on your social media or leave a comment and rating below to tell us how it went.