Pasta, chicken, spinach, and cheese baked to bubbly perfection.
I didn't follow the cooking instructions exactly as directed for this, but I wanted to make this because the ingredients sounded nice together. The directions don't say how you should cook the chicken, so I cooked it in a separate pan on the stove and then added the sautéed onion and garlic, (because how can you not have garlic?), to the chicken. I also used some basil and some italian seasoning on the chicken. I found it strange that this recipe had no added spices or anything. Then after that was mixed up a bit, I added the tomatoes and stirred in the cream cheese so that it could melt together nicely. Then I took all of that off the oven and mixed it in with the spinach and the cooked noodles and placed it in a casserole dish. Covered it with cheese and baked it in the oven. It was pretty yummy. I will say I accidentally made too many noodles because I used no yolk noodles instead of penne, so I think next time if I use the right amount of noodles, the flavors will be much better. This has a good basis for a delicious family pasta dish. I will make this again.
Read MoreI didn't follow the cooking instructions exactly as directed for this, but I wanted to make this because the ingredients sounded nice together. The directions don't say how you should cook the chicken, so I cooked it in a separate pan on the stove and then added the sautéed onion and garlic, (because how can you not have garlic?), to the chicken. I also used some basil and some italian seasoning on the chicken. I found it strange that this recipe had no added spices or anything. Then after that was mixed up a bit, I added the tomatoes and stirred in the cream cheese so that it could melt together nicely. Then I took all of that off the oven and mixed it in with the spinach and the cooked noodles and placed it in a casserole dish. Covered it with cheese and baked it in the oven. It was pretty yummy. I will say I accidentally made too many noodles because I used no yolk noodles instead of penne, so I think next time if I use the right amount of noodles, the flavors will be much better. This has a good basis for a delicious family pasta dish. I will make this again.
Chicken Spinach Pasta Bake Haiku: "My favorite combo. For things in a pasta bake, no surprise, it's good!" I've made many variations of pasta bakes, but my tastebuds always fall back on wanting my classic chicken/spinach, so I was happy to try out this recipe, only Oops! I didn't have cream cheese, but that's OK, b/c I just added some extra Italian-blend shredded cheese and it still retained its yummy factor. Also sauteed garlic along w/ the onion b/c something seems infinitely askew w/ the kitchen universe when I don't smell the 2 mating in olive oil together. Had to S&P to taste, but all in all, a successful pasta bake.
This was tasty. I used leftover chicken I had grilled the night before. I did add garlic that I sautéed in zesty Italian dressing. I added the tomatoes, sliced up cream cheese and spinach to that mix before mixing it with pasta. It got rave reviews in the family.
Absolutely delicious. The creamy texture and the flavor of the tomatoes makes it a thumbs up for our family.
This was delicious! I typed in ingredients I had on hand and up popped this recipe. I followed Amber's review on mixing the ingredients. The creamy, the aldente penne pasta, just the right amount of tomatoes, combined with everyone's favorites of chicken and spinach.....all compliment each other so well to make a great dish! Bravo??????
Yum! Changes: Sausage instead of chicken , Extra can of italian tomatoes and added fresh garlic , italian seasoning. Family loved it.
I made this delicious dish for my family of 7 and they loved it! It doesn't tell you how to make the chicken but I sautéed it with garlic, basil, a dash of salt, pepper and a dash of thyme. First I boiled the noodles (al dente') about 11 min. While boiling the noodles, i sautéed the boneless skinless chicken tenderloins (with the seasoning listed above). I added the onions to the chicken and sautéed again for about 6 min. Once onions browned, I added the penne pasta (drained of course). Then I added the diced tomatoes. I couldn't find "Italian-styled" diced tomatoes so I added Italian herb seasoning and about 2 teaspoons of sugar). I stirred that together and added it to the pasta, chicken and onions. I transferred it to a big baking dish and added the cream cheese and spinach. I mixed all of it together in the baking dish and sprinkled the mozzarella cheese through the dish and on top for garnish. Baked it covered with foil for 30 min and it came out perfect! The entire family loved it! I will be making this again in the future and will save this as one of my favorite family dishes!
Great pasta recipe specially for us. My wife loves pasta but doesn't car for tomato based sauces. PS: mixing everything in a large bowl first makes this a lot less messy.
I don't care for spinach, so I used zucchini as a substitute. Tasted pretty bland, so out came the spices. Played around until I felt it was tasty. Good recipe for last minute, hurry up meal, but don't expect a lot of kudos. Good because most of ingredients are pantry staples.
Was a winner. I boiled my chicken first. I did not use Italian diced tomatoes. I used diced tomatoes with onion and green pepper. I used creamed spinach as it added flavor. I also did not use a whole onion. I used onion to my taste and added garlic to sautee together. The amount of penne pasta is correct. I also cut up my softened cream cheese which made it easier to melt. Poured the noodles over the cream cheese and mixed. Added the spinach and onions and mixed. Added the diced tomatoes and mixed and added the chicken. As crazy as this sounds, I washed my hands and used my hands to get this good and mixed up. Served with garlic bread and enough left over to freeze. Winner in my book!
I added a little garlic and used chicken that I cooked. Took a little longer than just shredding a ready made rotisserie chicken. Oh, I almost forgot! I used tripasta!
This was delicious. I seasoned my chicken first. I didn't have an onion so I added 1/4 tsp onion powder as well as 1/4 tsp of garlic powder. I place that in a large skillet with the chicken and added the tsp of olive oil. I then added the tomatoes and softened cream cheese. I also added about 2 ounces of Mozzarella cheese since I bought a 2 cup bag and didn't want to waste it. I also added the spinach and mixed up really well. I put the mixture in a 13x9 pan and sprinkled the rest of the cheese on top. It was fabulous. I received rave reviews from all family members. Make sure you season the chicken first. Will make again.
sounds delish, but I'll be cooking my chicken first then blending it with the pasta and other ingredients.
I use diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic. Also use ground turkey and spice that up a bit. Always has turned out wonderful!
Made this and it was okay but I probably won't make it again. Nice recipe to try, but I added fresh garlic and more spices to the recipe, too.
I'm always looking for delicious recipes using leftover chicken. This one is a winner! I used Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies ..pretty much followed the directions to a "T". It was better than I expected! Try it.....you'll like it!
Very good! I doubled it for a large family and leftovers. Also my daughter has Celiac disease so I used Barilla gluten free penne pasta and you couldn't tell the difference. Will definitely make again!
Added mushrooms and used three cheese tomato sauce to kick it up a notch. Tasted great.
Needs more seasoning or flavor. With a little extra flavor, it would be a great dish - was easy and tasty'ish.
Made this for company late last week. It's good at the firs meal, but left-overs aren't as good. Guess the pasta absorbs any liquid after sitting in the fridge making the dish very dry.
Made this last night with rave reviews from my family! I used light cream cheese to cut down on the fat. Will definitely make this again!
It was quite bland and seriously needs some help in the flavor dept. IF I were to ever make it again I would trying adding some garlic and italian seasoning. It is certainly a pretty and colorful dish along with being very easy, it just simply lacks flavor.
It was okay for me but my husband liked it. I didn't use Italian tomatoes because of the salt content--used regular diced. I added seasonings to make up for the lack of "Italian". Didn't have much taste. Next time, I will use the Italian tomatoes. (I ended up adding lots of salt to add more taste.)
It was very yummy. I adde bacon because, well, everything tastes better with bacon. Everyone loved and the kids even had seconds.
Very good, but need a few notes to make this easier. 1) Do not drain the tomatoes, you need the moisture; 2) Use a large baking dish : 9x13; 3) Oil the baking dish; 4) Mixing in the baking dish is too messy, use a large mixing bowl then transfer to the baking dish.
I had some fresh mushrooms and added them to the chicken mixture. delicious
Flavors are good but I felt the spinich was too wilted. The recipe also calls for way too much spinich. I only used about 5 oz. I melted the tomatoes and cream cheese together then mixed all the ingredients before transferring to the baking dish because I didn't want clumps of cream cheese.
The dish looked great, but it lacked flavor. Next time I would try it with maybe, a rotisserie chicken, or link sausage and more spices, along with a little of the pasta water to loosen.it up a bit
This recipe came out very good. The spinach added a depth of flavor to the chicken and pasta. This one is a keeper.
I, too, didn't follow the recipe. I added two bowls of aloute cream cheese (spinach and artichoke) , 1 can spinach, 1 can tomato, a ton of minced onion seasoning, tyson chicken, a small can of mushrooms, and the whole bag of mozarella. We liked it, though husband suggested a cream sauce over it next time. Taste good with hot sauce mixed in.
I did add a few changes. Sauteed onion with 2 cloves of garlic. I thought 1 bag of spinach was enough. To everything, I added seasoned pepper and kosher salt. I also added sun dried tomatoes. Delish!!!
Due to some of other comments I did add some garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper both to sauce and to the chicken breast before I baked the chicken. When I told my husband it was ready the first thing he said was how good it looked. This meal didn't disappoint will make again.
Was very good. Maybe needed a little more garlic than I added to it. But, was very tasty and will make it again.
This is a fairly bland, yet comforting dish that most children would be happy to eat (you don'trealky taste the spinach). It is very simple to make and halved easily as I was cooking for two. I left off the mozzarella and used bread crumbs instead. I will make it again and may add sauteed mushrooms for a little extra flavor.
This was a big hit with the whole family. I doubled it and it tasted even better on day 2 and 3.
Yummy! It’s in the oven now and we already ate some of it! I added garlic and parsley for a bit more flavor.
Very good! Used smoked chicken sausage instead of the cooked chicken. Can't wait to make it again
Delicious! My family really enjoyed this meal. It made two casseroles with enough for leftovers for my college son.
The recipe as written looked good, but, I decided to tweak a few things. Like other readers I added garlic and a second can of tomatoes to ensure that it wouldn’t dry out while it baked. I also added s&p, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, a splash of white wine and a 1/2cup Parmesan cheese! I think I will add another 4oz of cream cheese next time I make this. It was delicious ??
I made some changes to the recipe; used fresh spinach. After sauteing the onions and garlic, added spinach with some pasta water to wilt it; then added marscapone [it is a splurge, but worth it] and chicken. Would recommend mixing everything in skillet through pasta and then put it in baking dish. Next time will try mixing in 1 cup of the mozzarella before putting into baking dish, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and adding some parmasan on top. Definitely use some herbs.
This was great! I got rave reviews from family and a request for the recipe. It’s definitely rich and filling but super flavorful and pretty simple to make. I would make this again!
I made the recipe using hamburger instead of chicken (that's what I had on hand), but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. It was a huge hit with the entire family! Thanks!
Quick and easy for baked chicken that you don't want to have just plain baked chicken
The only change I made was that I added cooked bacon. I thought the recipe was good and can easily be changed to your liking. Next time I make it I want to add fresh mushrooms. It was a little bland so I think I'll up the seasoning next time too, again that can be tweaked to your liking. It was a good recipe and I will make again.
The rating is for my modifications. I boiled fresh chick tenders in salted water with a little cayenne pepper. I couldn't find the Italian-style DICED tomatoes so I used Italian-style STEWED tomatoes (I chopped them). I substituted onion and chive cream cheese for the original kind. We prefer things a bit spicy, so I added some seasonings.. garlic salt, S&P, and reduced-sodium Lawry's seasoned salt along with an extra can of tomatoes (original Rotel) because it seemed a bit dry. (I may have had a bit too much pasta.) Also, I didn't add the mozzarella until the last 15 minutes of baking. I think I will try using fresh spinach next time. I served this delicious meal-in-itself with hot, crusty French bread.
I made this and even added some ; Better than Boullion, little red pepper, & garlic...but was still way to bland. The base of the recipes is great but needs more tweeking. (*More seasonings!).
I had some fresh mushrooms and added them to the chicken mixture. delicious
Add a TON of garlic, salt and pepper and it will be delicious. I used rotini pasta, 1 box.
I made one and my granddaughter made one for a family dinner. It was a hit. We ran out quickly and needed to make more. Asked to make for a friend. Making more today. Easy and good.
I added 1can cream of chicken soup and 1 1/2 cup sliced carrots. This was delicious!
This is delicious. I used chicken breasts that were roasted in the oven. I did make some changes. I substituted garlic for the onion and I added chopped black olives. The dish was a success and received many compliments. I'll certainly be making it again.
It was surprisingly good, considering that no spices whatsoever were required. Our 16yo son said it was a definite 5-star rating, though...he loved it! We had all the ingredients on hand, and even added broccoli to it that we wanted to use up. It is very versatile and we will make it again -- maybe with some red peppers next time. We will definitely add seasonings when we make it again. After reading some of the other reviews, garlic and Italian seasoning are a must. We encourage you to try it.
Very excellent made according to the recipe. Don't forget to top with Pecorino Romano.
I used plain diced tomatoes and added a good bit of Italian seasoning. I also used canned spinach instead of frozen, spaghetti for the pasta, and omitted the onion. My family enjoyed it and I'll likely make it again.
This was great, my 1.5 yr old daughter and hubby loved it! I added some italian seasoning and garlic salt when I sauteed the onion and also used a 28 oz can (double what the recipe called for) of italian style seasoned tomatoes. Also used an Italian blend of cheeses instead of mozz. Excellent!
So easy to make! I used a stored cooked rotisserie chicken added a bit of garlic, Cajun seasoning and basil. Also added panko bread crumbs to the top and removed the foil for the last 10 mins. My family loved it! Definitely a do over!
Yummy! I added garlic, oregano and basil. Also, I mixed in a little more mozzarella cheese into the pasta mixture and added some parmigiano cheese too. Kids loved it.
I feel like it needs a sauce but it was really good. I love salty and sweet so I think some grilled pineapple would be really good with it.
Great base recipe. We loved it. Halved the recipe for our home. I had half a leftover smoked chicken and and fresh spinach I needed to use up as well as the other pantry basics so I thought I'd give this recipe a try. I am an experimental cook and like some, thought it funny there was no seasoning. So that I can remember what I did for the next time I make this, (and hubs and I both agree that it should be added to the rotation) I am going to list what I added in addition to the base recipe: 2 cloves minced garlic, a cup of sliced bella mushrooms, 1/4 cup chopped green pepper, did not drain the tomatoes, added 1/4 cup of cream, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 TBSP Kirkland brand Pesto, and 2 TBSP sliced black olives. I sauteed the veges in the olive oil with the seasoning, then added the tomatoes, cream cheese, pesto and cream till the cheese was melted, then combined first the parmesan, and then the cooked chicken. I mixed the pasta in the cooking pan, sprayed the baking dish with PAM and then baked as directed and let rest under the foil for 10 minutes. Absolutely delish!
we loved this recipe, i will most defiantly make it again. It was just as good if not better the next day for lunch.
Quite nice. I did change a bit - sauteed 3 cloves of garlic with the onions. Left out the chicken for a veg option. Added 4 chopped sundried tomatoes. Nice comfort food.
As stated already, needs more seasoning to it. I used a Mediterranean spice mix that I happened to have ~ 1tsp. It's an easy recipe and a good option for when I need to make a quick dinner. Will do again.
I took Amber's suggestion and sautéed garlic with the onion then added the chicken to cook it along with some basil and Italian seasoning. I added the tomatoes and cream cheese which I cut up to help it melt. I added the pasta last and baked as directed. It was delicious and easy. I will be making it again.
This is simple to make and a family favorite. I would suggest that you add some minced garlic to give it a bit more flavor. I added 3 minced cloves. I also cut the mozzarella cheese down to a cup and added 3/4 cup of Grated pecorino cheese. Really made the taste and flavor pop! Try it you’ll love it!
Sooo tasty, but putting in oven for 45 minutes burnt the bottom. Next time:20 mins tops. Used chicken from slow cooker that was shred with fork, and added Parmesan cheese before eating. Literally perfect
Great and easy recipe, I enjoyed it!! thanks. I also did some changes to my dish,i found the Italian dice tomatoes to be a little too sweet so I added some pesto sauce to spice it up and some perfectly cooked bacon on top yummy Bacon.
