Chicken Pasta Casserole

Overhead shot of chicken penne pasta casserole on a wooden table in a white dish.

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5 from 18 votes

Just stir all of the raw ingredients together in a dish and this creamy chicken penne pasta is ready for the oven!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword Chicken and Pasta Casserole, Chicken Pasta Casserole, chicken penne pasta, chicken penne pasta recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 343kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup, (or sub with cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom soup)
½ cup milk
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth or water
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup finely diced onion (I use frozen diced onion as a shortcut)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
½ cup finely diced red bell pepper
2 celery stalks, finely diced
½ lb. raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite-sized pieces (or sub with boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
1 ½ cups uncooked penne pasta
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the condensed soup, milk, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir in the onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, celery, raw chicken, uncooked pasta, and ½ cup cheese.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the foil and give everything a stir in the dish. At this point, check to make sure that the pasta is al dente (tender, but with a firm bite). If it’s still too hard, cover again and return the dish to the oven until the pasta is al dente. Once the pasta is al dente, sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese over top.
Return the dish to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 5-10 more minutes, or until the pasta is tender, the chicken is cooked through, and the cheese melts.

Video

Notes

Total cooking time will vary depending on the type of pan that you use and on your individual oven. A glass or ceramic casserole dish will take longer than a metal pan, for instance. To know when your casserole is done, taste a bite of the pasta. The noodles should be tender and the sauce should be thicker. Be careful not to overbake the casserole or the pasta will become mushy.

I use Barilla penne pasta, which has a suggested cooking time of 11-12 minutes on the box. You can substitute with another short pasta shape like rigatoni, elbows, bowtie (farfalle), or rotini. Adjust the total baking time if you choose a different pasta shape.

Nutrition