baked ziti with chicken and spinach, or pasta al forno

Baked Ziti with Chicken and Spinach

This baked ziti with chicken and spinach is a delicious and simple pasta bake, i.e. pasta al forno. The golden brown mozzarella on the top covers the creamy ricotta and tomato pasta on the bottom providing layers of textures and flavors.

Baked Ziti with Chicken and Spinach

This baked ziti with chicken and spinach is a delicious pasta bake (i.e. pasta al forno) with creamy pasta and cheesy goodness. It is based on the Italian American classic baked ziti dish. Short pasta is mixed with tomato sauce and Italian cheeses (ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan), topped with additional mozzarella, and then baked in the oven. The resulting pasta al forno is a deliciously creamy and cheesy pasta topped with a golden brown mozzarella crust.

Pasta al Forno with Spinach and Chicken Ingredients

This baked ziti with spinach and chicken adds a few twists to the Italian American classic. Chicken and spinach are added to the pasta mixture, adding additional flavors and textures along with protein and nutrition.

Also, I use rigatoni here in place of ziti. Rigatoni is a short pasta like ziti, but it contains ridges allowing the sauce to adhere more easily.

ingredients for baked ziti with spinach and chicken
Baked Ziti with Chicken and Spinach Ingredients

The main ingredients for baked rigatoni are:

  • rigatoni
  • tomato sauce
  • Italian cheese (ricotta, mozzarella, parm)
  • chicken breast
  • frozen spinach

Tomato Sauce For Pasta Al Forno

Use a basic pasta tomato sauce for pasta al forno. A simple homemade tomato sauce is recommended involving tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, onions, and basil. This marinara sauce recipe can serve as a guide, though a smoother sauce (as opposed to a chunky sauce) will also work well.

Making Baked Rigatoni with Chicken and Spinach

To make the baked rigatoni with spinach and chicken, first cook the pasta in salted boiling water. Reserve the cooked rigatoni.

Saute diced chicken breast in some olive oil with salt and pepper until just cooked through. Set aside.

sliced chicken breast in saute pan
Cooking Chicken Breast On Stove for Pasta Al Forno

Mix cooked pasta, cooked chicken, spinach, ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, and tomato sauce in mixing bowl.

mixing rigatoni with ingredients for chicken baked ziti
Mixing Ingredients for Baked Ziti with Chicken and Spinach. Shredded mozzarella and Tomato Sauce are added to this mixture as well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place pasta mixture into a shallow baking dish.

spinach baked ziti without mozzarella topping
The Baked Rigatoni Ingredients are mixed and ready to be topped with parmesan and mozzarella, and then baked.

Cover the top of the pasta with shredded mozzarella and parmesan. Bake in oven for 25 minutes.

If the baked rigatoni hasn’t yet developed a deep golden brown crust on top, turn oven to broil until top becomes golden brown.

Serving Baked Rigatoni with Chicken and Spinach

Let the pasta al forno rest for five to ten minutes after baking. Serve using a spatula or large serving spoon. Sprinkle chicken baked ziti with grated parmesan and garnish with fresh basil.

baked ziti with chicken and spinach
Baked Rigatoni with Chicken and Spinach

baked ziti with chicken and spinach, or pasta al forno

Baked Ziti with Chicken and Spinach

This baked ziti with chicken and spinach is a delicious and simple pasta dish. The golden brown mozzarella on the top covers the creamy ricotta and tomato pasta on the bottom providing layers of textures and flavors.
5 from 7 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian, Italian American
Servings 6

Equipment

  • Stove
  • oven

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb rigatoni, or another short pasta
  • 1.5 cups tomato sauce for pasta see recipe for marinara sauce
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup parmesan, grated
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 0.5 lb boneless and skinless chicken breast, cut into small cubes
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • whole basil leaves, for garnish optional

Instructions
 

  • Cook dry pasta in salted boiling water. Set pasta aside.
  • Heat up olive oil in a large frying pan on stove top. Add cubed chicken and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until just cooked through. Remove to paper towel to drain excess moisture.
  • Preheat oven to 350 deg. In a large mixing bowl, add cooked pasta, cooked chicken, tomato sauce, spinach, ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 0.5 cup parmesan, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix together. Place into a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with some of the remaining parmesan and top with the remaining mozzarella.
  • Place pasta in oven and bake for 25 minutes. If mozzarella cheese is browned, remove from oven, it is done. If cheese is not browned, turn oven to broil and cook for another few minutes until cheese is browned. Let cool for five minutes. Serve with basil and remaining parmesan.
Keyword baked pasta, baked ziti, baked ziti with chicken, chicken breast, chicken pasta, easy, main, pasta, quick, quick and easy, spinach, spinach chicken pasta, spinach pasta, ziti with tomato sauce

Other Pasta Recipes


The Flavor Dance Cooking Homepage

The Flavor Dance Recipes


About The Author

8 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Enjoyed this for dinner tonight and it was a savory success! Easy, hearty and delicious; definitely, a new favorite recipe!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating