Baked Chicken & Pancetta Pasta
Elevate your weeknight meals with this mouthwatering Baked Chicken & Pancetta Pasta! Juicy chicken mingles perfectly with crispy pancetta and al dente pasta, all enveloped in a creamy sauce that will have everyone coming back for more. Get ready for a cozy dinner that’s as satisfying to make as it is to eat!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- Fresh basil for garnishoptional
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Onion, diced
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 700 g Boneless Chicken Thighs (1.54 lbs)
- 200g Pancetta (Fior Di Vita) (7.06 oz)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 240 ml Cooking Cream (Cucina D'Oro) (8.11 fl oz)
- 300 g Shredded Mozzarella (Fior Di Vita) (10.6 oz)
- 200 g Grated Parmesan cheese (7.06 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 800g Canned diced tomatoes (28.2 oz)
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil (Golden Drop) (45 ml)
- 500 g Pasta Rigatoni (17.6 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 2 teaspoons Dried Oregano (10 ml)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
1800
Protein
98g
Carbs
108g
Fat
108g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
- 2
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and add diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté until onion is translucent.
- 3
Add the boneless chicken thighs and pancetta to the skillet, cooking until the chicken is browned.
- 4
Stir in the canned diced tomatoes, cooking cream, and dried oregano. Let simmer for a few minutes.
- 5
Combine the cooked pasta with the sauce, then mix in grated Parmesan and shredded mozzarella.
- 6
Transfer to a baking dish, top with additional mozzarella if desired, and bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 20 minutes or until bubbly.
- 7
Garnish with fresh basil before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cut chicken thighs into 2-3 cm chunks rather than leaving whole, as they'll reach 165°F (74°C) internal temperature 8-10 minutes faster and render pancetta fat more evenly throughout the sauce.technique2-3 cm chunks | 165°F (74°C) target | 8-10 minutes faster
- ✓Cook pasta to exactly 1 minute under al dente (check package time and subtract 1 minute) because it will continue cooking 3-4 minutes in the oven's residual heat, preventing mushy texture.timing1 minute under al dente | 3-4 minutes additional oven cooking
- ✓Reserve 120 ml of pasta cooking water before draining and add 60 ml to the sauce before baking—the starch emulsifies with cream at a 1:2 ratio, creating silkier coating that won't separate or weep liquid.ingredient60 ml pasta water per 240 ml cream (1:4 ratio)
- ✓Simmer the tomato-cream sauce for exactly 8 minutes uncovered before combining with pasta; this reduces moisture by approximately 15% and concentrates acidity so the baked dish won't release excess liquid.timing8 minutes uncovered | ~15% moisture reduction
- ✓Use 70% mozzarella and 30% Parmesan by weight for topping because mozzarella's 80% moisture content prevents browning, while Parmesan's low moisture achieves golden crust at 180°C.ingredient70:30 mozzarella to Parmesan ratio
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Baked Chicken & Pancetta Pasta
Elevate your weeknight meals with this mouthwatering Baked Chicken & Pancetta Pasta! Juicy chicken mingles perfectly with crispy pancetta and al dente pasta, all enveloped in a creamy sauce that will have everyone coming back for more. Get ready for a cozy dinner that’s as satisfying to make as it is to eat!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- Fresh basil for garnishoptional
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Onion, diced
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- 700 g Boneless Chicken Thighs (1.54 lbs)
- 200g Pancetta (Fior Di Vita) (7.06 oz)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 240 ml Cooking Cream (Cucina D'Oro) (8.11 fl oz)
- 300 g Shredded Mozzarella (Fior Di Vita) (10.6 oz)
- 200 g Grated Parmesan cheese (7.06 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 800g Canned diced tomatoes (28.2 oz)
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil (Golden Drop) (45 ml)
- 500 g Pasta Rigatoni (17.6 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- 2 teaspoons Dried Oregano (10 ml)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
1800
Protein
98g
Carbs
108g
Fat
108g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
- 2
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and add diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté until onion is translucent.
- 3
Add the boneless chicken thighs and pancetta to the skillet, cooking until the chicken is browned.
- 4
Stir in the canned diced tomatoes, cooking cream, and dried oregano. Let simmer for a few minutes.
- 5
Combine the cooked pasta with the sauce, then mix in grated Parmesan and shredded mozzarella.
- 6
Transfer to a baking dish, top with additional mozzarella if desired, and bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 20 minutes or until bubbly.
- 7
Garnish with fresh basil before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cut chicken thighs into 2-3 cm chunks rather than leaving whole, as they'll reach 165°F (74°C) internal temperature 8-10 minutes faster and render pancetta fat more evenly throughout the sauce.technique2-3 cm chunks | 165°F (74°C) target | 8-10 minutes faster
- ✓Cook pasta to exactly 1 minute under al dente (check package time and subtract 1 minute) because it will continue cooking 3-4 minutes in the oven's residual heat, preventing mushy texture.timing1 minute under al dente | 3-4 minutes additional oven cooking
- ✓Reserve 120 ml of pasta cooking water before draining and add 60 ml to the sauce before baking—the starch emulsifies with cream at a 1:2 ratio, creating silkier coating that won't separate or weep liquid.ingredient60 ml pasta water per 240 ml cream (1:4 ratio)
- ✓Simmer the tomato-cream sauce for exactly 8 minutes uncovered before combining with pasta; this reduces moisture by approximately 15% and concentrates acidity so the baked dish won't release excess liquid.timing8 minutes uncovered | ~15% moisture reduction
- ✓Use 70% mozzarella and 30% Parmesan by weight for topping because mozzarella's 80% moisture content prevents browning, while Parmesan's low moisture achieves golden crust at 180°C.ingredient70:30 mozzarella to Parmesan ratio