Chicken Parmesan Baked Pasta

 Chicken Parmesan Baked Pasta

 

Ok, so I am looooooong overdue. I have been cooking away over here, but it just seems like it has been so busy that I never remember to get out the camera and document my dishes in the making! I knew I had the perfect opportunity when I "pinned" a recipe on Pinterest and had several dozen people repin it..I knew it had to be a winner! I am not sure if any of you have made this dish yet, but it hit a home run! Simple to make, very fresh and it has great taste. I tweaked the recipe a bit, as I always do, but only with the spices. I have a heavy hand when it comes to them, but feel free to decrease the amount you use! The house smells wonderful and we can't wait to dig in! 

1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (I added more!)
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I added more!)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups water
1 - 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used regular chicken broth)
12 oz pasta (I used orrichetta)

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces (I cooked mine in olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper)
1 tablespoon dried basil (fresh would be best, but I didn't have any on hand)

1. Preheat the oven to 475 F.

2. Add the tomatoes to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped, about 10 pulses. 

3. Set an oven-safe 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

4. Add the chopped tomatoes, the water, 1 cup of the chicken broth, and the pasta to the pan, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a vigorous simmer, then cover the pan and continue simmering (you may need to reduce the heat slightly) until the pasta is tender, about 16-18 minutes. Stir the pasta frequently as it cooks. (I forgot to stir mine and it started to stick!)

5. Once tender, remove the cover and stir in 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the pepper, and the chicken. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary. If the mixture seems dry, mix in as much of the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth as needed to loosen it up (I didn't add any of it). {Note: if you don't have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the mixture to a baking dish at this point.} 

6. Sprinkle the top evenly with the mozzarella cheese and the remaining Parmesan cheese. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and bubbles around the edges. Garnish with the basil then serve.