Mom's Baked Chicken and Spinach Pasta
Mom's Baked Chicken and Spinach Pasta is a wholesome chicken pasta casserole recipe made with whole wheat bowtie pasta, fresh spinach, garlic, olive oil, white wine and mozzarella. It's a healthy dish for any night of the week. Plus, it's a super simple to make. All you need to do to make this chicken casserole recipe is cook chicken with garlic, wine, and a few more ingredients. The chicken is then combined with cooked pasta, topped with plenty of cheese, and baked until golden brown. No one will be able to say no to a hearty serving of Mom's Baked Chicken and Spinach Pasta. It really is one of the best chicken casserole recipes around.
The combination of pasta and chicken makes this a hearty meal that can feed the whole family on a weeknight. Because this chicken casserole recipe is such a crowd-pleaser, it would also be a great dish to share with family or friends at your next potluck or church supper. Mom's Baked Chicken and Spinach Pasta is also easy to customize, so you can make it with whatever ingredients you already have on hand.
Serves6
Cooking Time25 min
Ingredients
- 1 pound bowtie pasta
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (see NOTE)
- 8 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup white wine or dry white wine
- 5 cup fresh baby spinach leaves, stems removed
- 2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
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- NOTE: You could substitute chicken tenders for the diced breasts if you wish.
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
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Place a large stockpot filled with at 4 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt over high heat. When it comes to a rolling boil, drop in the pasta and cook for the time specified on the package. Drain.
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While pasta water heats and pasta cooks, place a 12-inch round x 3-icnch deep non-stick fry pan over medium high heat. Add the oil and cook the chicken, stirring frequently until chicken is nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and salt and stir, continuing to cook 2 to 3 minutes until chicken is cooked and very fragrant.
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Stir in the wine over high heat, stirring to lift any browned bits in the bottom of the pan, then add the spinach and continue to cook and stir another 5 minutes until spinach wilts. Off the heat, add the drained pasta to the pan and stir to combine. Pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake until hot and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
Notes
If you don’t have a large enough skillet, brown the chicken, garlic and salt. Remove chicken to a large bowl using a slotted spoon and add wine and spinach to the pan, stirring until wilted. Combine all, including the pasta, in the large bowl and pour into the bake dish.