Chicken Pasta Casserole
Dive into this irresistible chicken pasta casserole, where tender pasta meets juicy chicken in a luscious, cheesy sauce. With a sprinkle of zesty herbs and a golden breadcrumb topping, this dish is baked until bubbling and golden—perfect for a cozy family dinner or a potluck showstopper!
Prep
15
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- minced garlic
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (120 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(5)
- butter
- 2 cups Colby Jack cheese (480 ml)
- cream cheese
- 1/2 cup milk (120 ml)
- Parmesan cheese
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- seasoning so slap your mama
📦Other(1)
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce (120 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
556
Protein
38g
Carbs
8g
Fat
42g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
While the pasta is cooking, add cream cheese.
- 2
Add pasta and ensure the oven is preheated to 375°F.
- 3
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
- 4
Add 1/2 cup of marinara sauce, minced garlic, 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of chicken broth, butter, and seasonings.
- 5
Add shredded rotisserie chicken on top of the butter and seasoning.
- 6
Add 2 cups of Colby Jack cheese and some Parmesan cheese.
- 7
Mix everything together and bake.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Temper the cream cheese by whisking it with the warm chicken broth and milk (1:1:1 ratio) off-heat before adding to pasta, preventing lumps that form when cold cream cheese hits hot ingredients.technique1:1:1 ratio (cream cheese:broth:milk)
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water and add 2-3 tablespoons to your sauce mixture before baking; the starch (approximately 5-8% by volume) acts as an emulsifier, creating a silkier sauce and preventing separation during the 12-15 minute bake.ingredient2-3 tablespoons pasta water (5-8% starch content)
- ✓Mix Colby Jack and Parmesan in a 3:1 ratio; the higher fat content of Colby Jack (33%) ensures even melting while Parmesan's lower moisture (32% vs 39%) prevents the sauce from becoming too thin.ingredient3:1 Colby Jack to Parmesan ratio
- ✓Bake at 375°F for exactly 12 minutes, then cover with foil for the final 3 minutes if cheese hasn't browned; this prevents the exposed cheese from exceeding 330°F where Maillard browning turns bitter.timing12 minutes uncovered, 3 minutes foil-covered; max 330°F for cheese
- ✓Let the finished casserole rest 5 minutes before serving so the sauce (now at 160-165°F) thickens by 15-20% as the starch continues to absorb liquid and cream cheese proteins set.timing5 minutes rest; 15-20% sauce thickening
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Chicken Pasta Casserole
Dive into this irresistible chicken pasta casserole, where tender pasta meets juicy chicken in a luscious, cheesy sauce. With a sprinkle of zesty herbs and a golden breadcrumb topping, this dish is baked until bubbling and golden—perfect for a cozy family dinner or a potluck showstopper!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- minced garlic
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (120 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(5)
- butter
- 2 cups Colby Jack cheese (480 ml)
- cream cheese
- 1/2 cup milk (120 ml)
- Parmesan cheese
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- seasoning so slap your mama
📦Other(1)
- 1/2 cup marinara sauce (120 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
556
Protein
38g
Carbs
8g
Fat
42g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
While the pasta is cooking, add cream cheese.
- 2
Add pasta and ensure the oven is preheated to 375°F.
- 3
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
- 4
Add 1/2 cup of marinara sauce, minced garlic, 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of chicken broth, butter, and seasonings.
- 5
Add shredded rotisserie chicken on top of the butter and seasoning.
- 6
Add 2 cups of Colby Jack cheese and some Parmesan cheese.
- 7
Mix everything together and bake.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Temper the cream cheese by whisking it with the warm chicken broth and milk (1:1:1 ratio) off-heat before adding to pasta, preventing lumps that form when cold cream cheese hits hot ingredients.technique1:1:1 ratio (cream cheese:broth:milk)
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water and add 2-3 tablespoons to your sauce mixture before baking; the starch (approximately 5-8% by volume) acts as an emulsifier, creating a silkier sauce and preventing separation during the 12-15 minute bake.ingredient2-3 tablespoons pasta water (5-8% starch content)
- ✓Mix Colby Jack and Parmesan in a 3:1 ratio; the higher fat content of Colby Jack (33%) ensures even melting while Parmesan's lower moisture (32% vs 39%) prevents the sauce from becoming too thin.ingredient3:1 Colby Jack to Parmesan ratio
- ✓Bake at 375°F for exactly 12 minutes, then cover with foil for the final 3 minutes if cheese hasn't browned; this prevents the exposed cheese from exceeding 330°F where Maillard browning turns bitter.timing12 minutes uncovered, 3 minutes foil-covered; max 330°F for cheese
- ✓Let the finished casserole rest 5 minutes before serving so the sauce (now at 160-165°F) thickens by 15-20% as the starch continues to absorb liquid and cream cheese proteins set.timing5 minutes rest; 15-20% sauce thickening