Baked Chicken and Tomato Pasta

I don’t know where this week has gone!  I have been so busy ever since I went back to work.  Having the surgery and then going back to work has also left me drained, I just can’t seem to find the energy to cook!  With that being said, I don’t have anything new to bring this week.  Well …okay, that is not absolutely correct, it is new to you guys …just not to me.  What I do have is a quick and easy pasta dish that is very good and filling and sure to please everyone in the family …hopefully 🙂

I have made this several times before and will change it up slightly depending on what ingredients I have on hand.  The pictures I have are of a particular time when I added some extra Italian blend cheese.  It is just as good this way, actually my 13 yr old prefers it.  He says it hides the taste of the tomatoes …not a big fan of tomatoes, that one 😉

Extra cheeses or not, either way it is a yummy family favorite.  I hope the ladies over at Angie’s, The Novice Gardener will enjoy it for our Fiesta Friday this week.  I hope to see you there!!  Wishing everyone a fabulous weekend.  🙂

Thanks for visiting!

This post is part of Fiesta Friday!  To join us click on the link below:

• Servings: 4-6
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup cubed chicken breast
• 1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes.  Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.  Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a greased (I used cooking spray) baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.  To make it extra cheesy, sprinkle a mixture of Italian cheeses or whatever shredded cheese you like on top just before baking.