Baked Cheesy Chicken Bake
This yummy dish consists of a cheesy pasta blended with chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and mushrooms. Now I know the sun-dried tomatoes aren’t something most of you probably keep on hand, so you could just leave them out if you like. Then just up the amount of chicken or mushrooms by 1 cup, or I was thinking some broccoli or asparagus tips would also work well in place of the tomatoes. I did however really enjoy the sun-dried tomatoes in this dish, but some of my family did eat around them. Another great thing about this recipe is it makes two 2-quart dishes. So you can make one and take one to someone, or make one and freeze one, or have enough for a dinner to serve 8-10 people. I made one and froze one. The thing I love about the frozen one is you cook it straight from the freezer. No need to let it thaw in the fridge a day before. Love this! The frozen version was almost as fabulous as the fresh dish.
This yummy dish consists of a cheesy pasta blended with chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and mushrooms. Now I know the sun-dried tomatoes aren’t something most of you probably keep on hand, so you could just leave them out if you like. Then just up the amount of chicken or mushrooms by 1 cup, or I was thinking some broccoli or asparagus tips would also work well in place of the tomatoes. I did however really enjoy the sun-dried tomatoes in this dish, but some of my family did eat around them. Another great thing about this recipe is it makes two 2-quart dishes. So you can make one and take one to someone, or make one and freeze one, or have enough for a dinner to serve 8-10 people. I made one and froze one. The thing I love about the frozen one is you cook it straight from the freezer. No need to let it thaw in the fridge a day before. Love this! The frozen version was almost as fabulous as the fresh dish.
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 6 cups whole milk
- 2 8 oz boneless chicken breasts (halved horizontally)
- 1 lb penne regate (i used a 14.5 oz box of ronzoni smart taste penne rigate)
- 6 tbsp. butter (plus more for pans)
- 1/2 cup (+ 2 tbsp) flour
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 10 oz white or cremini mushrooms (trimmed and thin sliced, can sub button mushrooms)
- 1 cup sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (6 ounces, i used an italian blend that had provolone in it)
- 1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan (about 6 ounces)
- Carbohydrate 52.2373918010795 g
- Cholesterol 432.581708830576 mg
- Fat 173.39571661544 g
- Fiber 5.49903569497466 g
- Protein 41.6105965143954 g
- Saturated Fat 95.3334762920461 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (409g)
- Sodium 1599.38910030625 mg
- Sugar 46.7383561061048 g
- Trans Fat 31.3216932529639 g
- Calories 1740 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 400. Butter two shallow 2-quart baking dishes. If you’re going to freeze one, use a disposable foil pan. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta and set aside.
- While pasta is boiling, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. While chicken pan is still hot, toss the mushrooms in and saute until golden brown (3-4 minutes). Use a little extra olive oil if needed.(Since I used left over chicken, I just cooked the mushrooms in the olive oil).
- In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot , melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking constantly, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer. Keep whisking frequently as sauce thickens, about 1 minute more. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat and and gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
- Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide pasta mixture between baking dishes. If freezing, place remaining Parmesan cheese in a zip-top baggie. If cooking, sprinkle on top.
- Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
While standard baked ziti relies on a simple marinara and ricotta filling to bind pasta together, this preparation builds its foundation on a rich mornay sauce thickened directly with a warm butter-and-flour roux and whole milk. Cooking the penne three minutes short of al dente ensures the tubes retain structure while absorbing excess liquid during the final 25 minutes in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven. Whisking cold or room temperature milk gradually into the bubbling flour mixture prevents thermal shock from creating starch lumps. Searing the chicken breasts rapidly over medium-high heat locks in moisture before slicing, whereas tossing mushrooms into the hot residual skillet pan drippings extracts deep umami flavor without requiring excess fats. Using oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes introduces concentrated sweet-tart notes that contrast sharply with fresh ingredients like raw cremini mushrooms and minced garlic. When incorporating the provolone and parmesan off the heat, stir continuously until completely melted to avoid grainy separation caused by over-direct heat. Dividing the final yield into two separate two-quart baking vessels provides an immediate meal for eight alongside an identical portion ready for the freezer. Assessing when the dish is finished baking requires watching for the edges to bubble vigorously and the surface cheese to turn a deep golden brown, signaling that heat has penetrated evenly to the center of the pan without needing a thermometer.
