Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake Recipe

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces dry pasta (I used a combination of rotini, farfalle and penne. Any similar size would 
• work.)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 ounces chive and onion cream cheese
• 1 cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
• 1 cup whole milk, heavy cream or half-and-half (I used half-and-half)
• ½ cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 - 1 ½ cups chopped fresh spinach
• 2 cups cooked chicken (cubed or shredded)
• ½ cup fresh tomatoes, cut into large chunks (I used grape tomatoes sliced in half)
• Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. Coat a medium casserole dish with non-stick spray.  (Mine was a 10" round, but a 9 x 13 would work fine.)
2. Cook pasta in salted, boiling water.Drain and set aside.
3. While pasta is cooking, heat butter in a medium saute pan set to medium heat.  Add in the onion and garlic.  Cook for 3 - 4 minutes to slightly soften veggies.  Do not brown.
4. Add in cream cheese and stir to melt.  Reduce heat to low.  Stir in sour cream, milk, Parmesan cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes (if using).  Stir until everything is well-combined and melted.  Turn off heat.
5. Combine the pasta, chicken, spinach and tomatoes in a large bowl.
6. Add in the sauce and gently stir to coat.
7. Pour into the prepared baking dish.  (I drizzled in a little more half-and-half over the mixture once it was in the baking dish because it looked a little dry to me.)
8. Top with the remaining mozzarella.
9. Bake uncovered for about 20 -25 minutes ... or until casserole is bubbly and beginning to brown.  Top with basil or parsley for garnish.