Pesto Alfredo Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 package penne (16 ounces penne pasta)
• 2 cups chicken cubed, cooked *
• 2 cups Italian cheese blend (8 ounces shredded, divided)
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (15 ounces)
• 1 jar pesto (8.1 ounces prepared) *

Alfredo Sauce:

• ½ cup butter
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream (2 cups)
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• ½ teaspoon garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup parmesan cheese grated

Topping:

• 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9x13 inch pan with cooking spray and set aside. Cook the pasta in a large pot according to package directions. In a large bowl combine cooked chicken, 1 cup cheese, spinach, and tomatoes.
2. To make the alfredo sauce: In a medium saucepan add butter, heavy whipping cream, and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat and whisk until melted. Add the jar of pesto. Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Continue to whisk until smooth. Add the grated parmesan cheese. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes or until it starts to thicken.
3. Drain the pasta and add alfredo sauce to the large bowl and toss with ingredients to coat. Pour into the prepared 9x13 inch pan. Add remaining cheese to the top of the casserole. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and oil. Sprinkle over casserole.
4. Cover with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes or until cooked throughout and bubbling on the sides.

* Due to pandemic panic-buying, the only boneless chicken available to me was a single package of marinated pepper chicken.  It was great in this recipe, I would suggest seasoning your chicken or increasing the seasoning in the casserole or something

* I made this without the pesto, and it was great.  Probably better

Social Distancing recipe #1.  I had 14 dinners planned, but I could only fit 7 days worth of ingredients into my house.  And then I realized that we are going to have so many leftovers that I definitely wasn't going to need all these recipes.  What is the point of this story?  Honestly, idk, just that working from home gives me more time to cook, but I'm not actually going to need to?  And pandemics are weird.

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Original recipe: The Recipe Critic

Posted by Jasmine