Easy dinner alert! There’s no need to even boil the pasta for this Dump-and-Bake Chicken Caesar Pasta! With spinach, roasted red peppers, and plenty of garlic, this creamy chicken casserole is a flavorful one dish meal that only requires about 10 minutes of prep.
Well, friends…I’m in the final countdown for Back-to-School around here. It’s hard to believe, but since my boys finished school in the middle of May, they’re already gearing up for the start of the new year on Tuesday!!! You know what that means?
It means that we’re back to the routine of homework, packed lunches, carpools, and multiple sports practices. It means that I’ll struggle even more than usual to get the entire family together around the dinner table each night, and it means that I’ll be challenged to prep homemade meals amidst all of the juggling.
And that’s where this Dump-and-Bake Chicken Caesar Pasta comes in. Because while I know that we won’t eat an elaborate 3-course supper every single night, I can at least aim for a few quality meals over the course of a given week. The rest of the time we’ll make do with leftovers, pizza, sandwiches…and even cereal!
So while it can be tough to cook at home when I’m also trying to supervise math worksheets, reading logs, and play dates, a family dinner is important enough to me that I make the effort.
The quality time together, even over a simple one dish meal, is a valuable way to come together at the end of the day — and it doesn’t require fancy food!
With a few simple, quick-prep, family-friendly recipes like this Dump-and-Bake Chicken Caesar Pasta up my sleeve, I feel armed and ready to conquer yet another chaotic school year. This is one of those awesome meals that everyone loves, and best of all? The pasta, veggies and chicken are all included in one dish (no sides necessary)!
Dump-and-Bake Chicken Caesar Pasta
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 6-8 people
Easy dinner alert! There's no need to even boil the pasta for this Dump-and-Bake Chicken Caesar Pasta! With spinach, roasted red peppers, and plenty of garlic, this creamy casserole is a flavorful one dish meal that only requires about 10 minutes of prep.
Ingredients
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1 (16 ounce) package uncooked rotini pasta
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1 (22 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce (2 ½ cups)
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2 cups chicken broth
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1 cup Caesar salad dressing (I used Newman's Own Creamy Caesar)
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2 cups diced rotisserie chicken (or other diced cooked chicken)
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1 cup chopped roasted red peppers, drained
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1 (9 or 10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
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2 teaspoons minced garlic
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1 cup shredded mozzarella (or Italian blend) cheese
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Optional: Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped herbs for garnish
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
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In the prepared dish (or in a separate bowl), stir together uncooked pasta, Alfredo sauce, chicken stock, Caesar dressing, chicken, roasted red peppers, spinach, and garlic. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
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Uncover; stir. At this point you should check the pasta to make sure that it is al dente (firm but just about finished cooking). If it’s still too hard, cover the dish and return to the oven until pasta is al dente. Then move on to the next step.
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Sprinkle mozzarella over the top. Bake uncovered for 10 more minutes (or until cheese is melted and pasta is tender).
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Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan or fresh chopped herbs, if desired.
Notes
Cooking Just for Two? This is a very easy dish to modify for a smaller family. Just cut all of the ingredients in half and prepare one smaller casserole in an 8-inch square baking dish. Cooking process and time will remain the same.
Courses Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1/8 of the recipe
Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
Calories 501 | ||
% Daily Value | ||
Total Fat 24.6 g | 38% | |
Saturated Fat 17.8 g | 89% | |
Cholesterol 46.5 mg | 16% | |
Sodium 1143 mg | 48% | |
Total Carbohydrates 50 g | 17% | |
Dietary Fiber 7 g | 28% | |
Sugars 4 g | ||
Protein 21 g | 42% | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
You make the best dump and bake dishes, Blair! My husband is a huge fan of chicken caesar anything, so I know he would love this. Sounds like such a delicious meal…love those flavors!
Thanks, Gayle! My boys love Caesar everything, too, so this was a very popular dish!
Blair this sounds absolutely amazing! We always have friends over on Sundays for dinner and they love when I try a new recipe, so this will be it this Sunday. Now all I have to figure out is what is for dessert.
That’s perfect, Paula! It’s definitely a crowd-pleaser!
Personally, I think you can never go wrong with brownies and/or ice cream for dessert! Do you have a fire pit? We’re doing s’mores at the fire pit this weekend for dessert, so that’s always a fun summer option!
That’s perfect, Paula! It’s definitely a crowd-pleaser!
Personally, I think you can never go wrong with brownies and/or ice cream for dessert! Do you have a fire pit? We’re doing s’mores at the fire pit this weekend for dessert, so that’s always a fun summer option!
Heck. Yes. A dump dinner has never looked or sounded better! This is the perfect recipe to have on hand for those super busy days!
Exactly!!! Thanks, Karly! 🙂
Hi Blair. I prefer fresh spinach to frozen. Wondering if you think fresh spinach would work in this recipe?
Hi, Janelle! Absolutely! You can just add a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach into the dish and eyeball how much you like. You can’t screw it up. 🙂
Ooooh! This looks so good! I don’t think I’ve ever used Caesar flavours in a hot dish!
Oh, I hope that you’ll try it! It’s a keeper!
Blair I just love all your recipes and this will be no exception. I also enjoy the photos and stories about what you and the family did over the weekend or on a trip. I don’t know how you get so much done. Your amazing!
Hi, Lorraine! Thank you so much for your kind note! I’m thrilled that you enjoy the recipes, and I appreciate your support! Have a great weekend. 🙂