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Dinner recipe

Herby Chicken Pesto Pasta Bake with Spinach

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A creamy pasta bake with chicken, pesto, and tomatoes.

Start planningStart cookingIngredients
40 min640 kcal4 base servingsBatch CookFamily FavouriteComforting
ContainsGluten, Milk
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Recipe and nutrition estimates

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Focus ingredients: chicken, pesto, pasta

Dietary fit: No diet tags added for this recipe yet

Serving tip: Reserve a spoonful of pesto for the top just before serving if you want extra colour.

Chicken Pesto Pasta Bake plated and ready to serve.

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Ingredients

What you need

  • 350g chicken breast
  • 280g pasta
  • 120g pesto
  • 180g cherry tomatoes
  • 125g mozzarella
  • 80g spinach
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

You'll also need

oven, baking dish

Method

Step by step

Up to 8 clear steps
  1. Chicken Pesto Pasta Bake cooking step 1: Get prepped.
    Step 1

    Heat the oven

    Heat the oven to 200C and set out a medium baking dish.

  2. Chicken Pesto Pasta Bake cooking step 2: Start cooking.
    Step 2

    Cook the pasta

    Cook the pasta in boiling water with a pinch of salt for 8-10 minutes until just tender, then drain and keep a mug of pasta water.

    10 min
  3. Chicken Pesto Pasta Bake cooking step 3: Build the flavour.
    Step 3

    Prep the filling

    Halve the cherry tomatoes and roughly chop the spinach. Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces so it cooks evenly.

  4. Chicken Pesto Pasta Bake cooking step 4: Bring it together.
    Step 4

    Build the sauce

    Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wide pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the chicken breast for 5-8 minutes until piping hot. Add pesto and cherry tomatoes. Add a pinch of salt, black pepper, and a small pinch of sugar only if the tomatoes taste sharp.

    8 min
  5. Chicken Pesto Pasta Bake cooking step 5: Finish the dish.
    Step 5

    Combine the bake

    Fold in the pasta and cherry tomatoes and spinach, loosening with a splash of pasta water if needed, then spoon everything into the baking dish.

  6. Chicken Pesto Pasta Bake cooking step 6: Serve.
    Step 6

    Bake until bubbling

    Scatter over the mozzarella and bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbling at the edges and golden on top. Rest for 3 minutes before serving.

    20 min