Chicken Pesto Tortellini Bake
A comforting baked casserole of cheese tortellini, chicken, pesto, spinach and melted cheeses—easy to assemble and perfect for a family meal.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking dish (3-quart)
- Medium Skillet
- mixing bowl or measuring pitcher
- Foil
- Oven
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 40 ouncescheese tortellini refrigerated or frozen and thawed
- 1 poundboneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1 inch cubes
- 1 tablespoonbutter
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 1/2 red onion peeled and chopped
- 6 ouncesbasil pestoor homemade pesto
- 2 cupsfresh baby spinach
- 2 cupschicken broth
- 1 cupheavy cream
- 2 cupsshredded fontina cheese
- 1/2 cupshaved Parmesan cheese
- Saltand pepper
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Have a 3-quart (9×13-inch) baking dish ready.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 red onion (chopped) and sauté 2 minutes. Add 1 red bell pepper (seeded and chopped) and sauté 2 more minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
- Place 40 ounces cheese tortellini (refrigerated or thawed) in the prepared baking dish. Add 1 pound chopped boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1-inch cubes), 2 cups fresh baby spinach, and the sautéed onion and pepper. Toss gently to combine and spread the mixture evenly in the dish.
- In a bowl or measuring pitcher, whisk together 6 ounces basil pesto, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper until smooth.
- Pour the pesto-cream mixture evenly over the tortellini and chicken, pressing down gently so the pasta is mostly covered in liquid.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil and gently stir the casserole to redistribute sauce. Evenly sprinkle 2 cups shredded fontina cheese and 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese over the top.
- Return the dish to the oven and bake uncovered 15–20 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the chicken is cooked through (165°F internal temperature). Serve warm.
Notes
Notes
1. This recipe can easily be halved and baked in an 8- or 9-inch square pan for a smaller batch.
2. You can add the onions and peppers to the baking dish raw for a true one-pan recipe, but I feel sautéing them first improves the flavor and texture.
1. This recipe can easily be halved and baked in an 8- or 9-inch square pan for a smaller batch.
2. You can add the onions and peppers to the baking dish raw for a true one-pan recipe, but I feel sautéing them first improves the flavor and texture.