Three Cheese Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake Recipe
Make ahead and freeze for a rain day three cheese pesto chicken pasta bake.
Now that summer is over (boo) and we’re back into the full swing of school which means crazy busy schedules, rainy cold days and more I like to simplify our meals as much as possible. This three-cheese pesto chicken bake helps me to do that as it’s a meal we can make ahead and put in the freezer for another day or even use up leftover chicken in it. Anything I can do to get a delicious dinner on the table with little prep after a long, busy day is a winner in my opinion.
This three cheese pesto chicken pasta bake helps to make a busy week a little bit easier. I can put it all together on a day off, freeze it and take it out when we’ve had a busy day. It can go from the freezer to the oven (if in an appropriate dish) and walk away until it’s all ready to eat. We definitely have days where it’s helpful to not have to do the dinner prep, freezer to oven is perfect. 
This three cheese pesto chicken pasta bake is a comfort food on those cold, grey days. It’s become a new family favourite. I make sure to make a big batch so that it will last a few days and we can even put some in a thermos to take for lunch at work or my daughter to school.
We always make sure to buy chicken raised by a Canadian Chicken Farmer. We know we’re getting quality chicken that has been raised to the highest standards of care when we see the Chicken Farmers of Canada logo below.
Canadian chicken is a healthy choice is that it’s grain-fed, free of added hormones and steroids, and raised right here in Canada according to nationally-set, high food safety and animal care standards. There is a mandatory, robust, third- party-audited Animal Care Program that is administered across all Canadian chicken farms.
Now who is ready to find out how to make this delicious three cheese pesto chicken pasta bake? I’m getting hungry!
Three Cheese Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake Recipe
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 60
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
This recipe for a Chicken Pasta Bake is versatile, quick, easy and packed with delicious flavor. Add spinach, mushrooms or your favorite sauce for a family favorite!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups milk
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 ½ cups asiago cheese, grated
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Cracked black pepper, to taste
- 8 oz rotini pasta (cooked al dente works best)
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1” cubes
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach, loosely packed
- 1 ½ cups fresh baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
- ⅓ cup pesto
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the minced garlic, stirring until fragrant, around 30 seconds. Add the flour and whisk into a paste.
- Slowly pour in the milk, whisking continuously, until smooth and combined. Add the cream cheese and stir until smooth and thick, around 5 minutes. Stir in the asiago cheese and season generously with salt and pepper.
- In a greased 13×9 pan, add the rotini pasta, chicken, spinach, and mushrooms. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, then gently pour the sauce over the dish and stir. Drizzle the pesto over the top of the dish, then add the mozzarella cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes and enjoy!
Notes
For freezer prep: prepare dish as above, but instead of baking, cover and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw completely before baking (especially for glass dishware), or bake from frozen at 350 degrees for 45 mins covered with foil and 30 minutes uncovered.
You can cook the pasta as per the package instructions but I find al dente works best for our tastes as the pasta softens a bit more in the casserole
Keywords: chicken dinner, chicken recipe, Chicken pesto pasta ,Chicken pasta, Pasta bake recipe, Chicken pasta bake, Baked pasta dishes, Chicken spinach pasta, Chicken pasta dish, Chicken mushroom pasta
Now doesn’t that make your mouth water? Wouldn’t your family love to try this three cheese pesto chicken pasta bake? All that goodness in one dish that leaves you filling full and satisifed. 
We hope you love this three cheese pesto chicken pasta bake as much as we do. You can substitute with your favourite cheese and of course leave out the spinach and/or mushrooms if you wish but why would you? Feel free to PIN this yummy recipe for later.
Don’t forget to check our recipes section for more yummy recipes from desserts to appetizers and more HERE.
More info about Chicken Farmers of Canada can be found HERE
Facebook: Canadian Chicken, Twitter: @ChickenFarmers, Instagram: @ChickenDotCA; Pinterest:ChickenDotCA.
Disclosure: I am participating in the Chicken Farmers of Canada campaign managed by SJ Consulting. I received compensation in exchange for my participation in this campaign. The opinions on this blog are my own.
Sharon Rooney says
This looks delicious! It has everything in it that my family loves.
shelly peterson says
This looks amazing. I will have to try this out.
Antoinette M says
Looks delicious! I like this recipe.
Dana Rodriguez says
This is so healthy and looks delicious! I PINNED IT!
KD says
Perhaps a silly question, but it does not specify whether you have cooked the pasta first. I presume so, but I’ve made a stovetop recipe which combined prior to cooking, so figured it best to check!
Thanks
Powered by Mom says
Not a silly question at all, yes you cook the pasta first 🙂
Jen says
Why not edit recipe above to either include “cook pasta” step or change ingredient to read “pasta, prepared according to package directions.“ There are recipes out there that the pasta is cooked in the dish. I didn’t think to scroll through comments to find out (after I had already assembled), If someone asked the question – then I’m not the only one that had the same question. Please edit your recipe to reflect this important step – thank you.
Powered by Mom says
Hi Jen,
Thanks for pointing that out as we had updated it last year but it seems it reverted back to the old one for some reason. Thanks again and hope you liked it once it was figured out.
Calvin says
Chicken pasta bake.. sounds good. I never had it before
YVONNE WOODSTOCK says
This looks so yummy but we are low carbers but I also think it looks easy to convert to that, thankfully YAY!
I am thinking I could replace the pasta with cauliflower and use some almond flour or such to replace the regular flour. The rest of it should be fine as is.
donna porter says
I love pasta and my family likes any chicken dish I make. This is a must try recipe for me.
★★★★★
Debbie P says
This sounds really really good. But your recipes always do. Thanks for another fantastic dish to try.
★★★★★
JoKing says
This includes some of my favourite things. I have to try this. I would personally leave out the mushrooms!
Karen Jaras says
This looks so yummy! I will give it the true test by making it for my grandchildren.
Robyn Fredieu-Cole says
I can’t wait to try this recipe. It looks delicious.
★★★★★
susan hartman says
I printed this for later this week. Love the ingredients!
Mary Gardner says
I am excited to try this dish. It looks great and I think it would be a winner with my family. Thanks for sharing!
Tracie Cooper says
My hubby loves chicken dishes and I am always looking for new ways to make chicken. This recipe would definitely be a hit in our home.
★★★★★
Stephanie Helin says
This is going on the list of things to make this winter
★★★★★
Tamra Phelps says
I love good pasta dishes like this. Chicken and cheese is a big bonus, too. Yum.
Dorothy Boucher says
I really like your recipes here, i’m sure the family will enjoy this also. I definitely would have biscuits or flat bread with this meal.
@tisonlyme143
Shakeia Rieux says
This looks good! I do plan on making this once I get the stuff for it.
Corey Witek says
My kids will love this without the mushrooms!!
Sue E says
I had to pin this delicious chicken recipe! I’m also sharing on my Facebook page!
I love chicken and I never get tired of eating
it! Especially with three cheeses!! Of course, I would add some more of my favorite ingredients, like mushrooms, spinach, etc.
Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Sheila F says
This looks yummy…always looking for new chicken recipes to try… Love that you can freeze it…not all recipes do well with freezing…anything to make our lives easier!
Sheila F says
This looks good…always looking for new chicken recipes
Rosie says
This sure looks good, and a nice way to use pesto. This is a recipe I’d love to try.
★★★★★
Linda Manns Linneman says
We eat a lot of chicken at our house. I am always looking for new recipes to make it. I can’t wait to try this. My family will love this. Thank you for sharing
Christina Gould says
This looks very hearty. I’d like to try it. Thanks for posting!
Judy Bradley says
I was so glad to see this recipe as I had seen the picture on Instagram, and it looked so good! I saved it to pinterest so I can make it at home. It sounds like something my grandson would even like! ????
Rebecca W says
It is so nice to have meals for busy nights tucked away in the freezer! I’d much rather have home cooked meals over fast food.
Zoey says
This sounds like a perfect comfort food as we are getting into fall! I love pasta so much!
Justin Orkin says
I love a good pasta, especially if it’s got cheese so prominent.
Maryann D. says
Three Cheese Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake Recipe seems like a wonderful and tasty dish for me to try in the winter months!
kate g says
I like the idea of this casserole a lot…love cheese, love pasta, love mushrooms, cook quantity, freeze, not have to cook for awhile. I always make recipes as is the first time i make them and then make adjustments to suit my taste…this sounds good as written.
Molli Taylor says
this chicken looks like a great comfort dish, i cant wait to try it with my family!
Kristen says
That looks delicious. My whole family likes casseroles.
gloria patterson says
My mind is rolling with ways for me to fix this. As a senior that is just too much to make for me………. BUT I could put this together in small pie pans. Bake a couple for me today/tomorrow, and the rest in the freezer. Got a plan
★★★★★
June S. says
(Three Cheese Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake Recipe) Oh my goodness does this recipe ever sound good to me. I will make this for when I meet up with my two brother’s next month in October for our dinner one night.
★★★★★
Beverly Mckinley says
my husband fusses about any sauces i really think he would love this because the only sauce in it is the one created by the ingredients cooking process. if i were to make it in a crockpot how would i change it? asking because summers still on and i would like to make it in the near future which means we cook exclusively outside
Powered by Mom says
Hi Beverly,
Sorry I haven’t tried making it in a crockpot and I think it would be quite different. It might work in an Instant Pot though…
Deborah D says
I love pasta and chicken. This recipe looks and sounds delicious. I like that it is on the healthier side as well.
naomi winkel says
I love like to make this soon, it looks super yummy
★★★★★
Dana Rodriguez says
This looks really delicious! I would have to leave the mushrooms out because I am the only one that likes them.
★★★★★
Tamra Phelps says
I love pretty much any pasta dish. Adding cheese is just a great big bonus!
Trisha McKee says
This sounds delicious! Perfect for our evenings as a family or on the weekends when additional family and friends visit. Thank you for sharing this.
★★★★★
Sheila F says
Looks good . always on the prowl for new ways to prepare chicken!
Lauryn R says
Wow, this sounds absolutely delicious!! I love casserole dishes like this, they make preparing dinner so much easier for me! And this flavor combination sounds amazing. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★