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    Home » Recipes » Easy Meals

    Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake

    January 6, 2018 By Monika Last Updated January 1, 2025 21 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This pesto chicken pasta bake is a simple one-pot dish that's wonderfully creamy and filled with delicious Mediterranean flavours everyone loves. It contains a moderate amount of fat and no heavy cream. Ready in under 40 minutes.

    Try also healthy creamy salmon pasta bake!

    Side view of creamy pesto chicken pasta bake in rectangular dish with spoon.

    This pesto chicken pasta bake is a one-pot dish, simple and speedy despite being made from scratch. It contains a handful of ingredients, most of which you probably have in your fridge or pantry right now.

    Making this healthy chicken pesto pasta bake involves precooking the chicken and pasta, making a quick pesto sauce and easy white sauce, then putting it all together. The pesto ingredients together with the juices from the chicken and the creamy sauce create a truly delicious dish.

    Pesto chicken pasta bake ingredients and substitutions

    • Pasta: It is important to cook it al dente (approx. 4 minutes) as it will finish cooking inside the casserole. Both fusilli and penne pasta shapes work in this recipe.
    • Chicken: I used skinless, boneless diced chicken breast. I do not recommend using dark meat instead.
    • Basil: Use fresh basil leaves avoiding the tough stems.
    • Garlic.
    • Olive oil: This gets added into the pesto mixture (along with some water so the sauce is not too oily).
    • Parmesan cheese: Or another Italian-style hard cheese.
    • Pine nuts: I didn't want to 'hide' these in the pesto and decided that scattering them over the casserole worked better.
    • Butter.
    • Flour: Thickens the sauce.
    • Stock: Either chicken or vegetable stock is fine to use.
    • Milk: Adds creaminess to the sauce.
    • Quark: Use sour cream or full-fat yogurt instead.
    Ingredients for making creamy pesto pasta chicken bake in individual dishes.
    Chicken pesto pasta bake ingredients.

    Step-by-step recipe instructions

    1.Preheat the oven to 375 F/190 C/gas mark 5.

    2. Boil pasta: Boil the pasta in salted water for 4 minutes (it needs to be a little undercooked), strain and place in a 28/20 cm (11/8'') casserole dish. While the pasta is boiling make the pesto sauce.

    Fusilli pasta in rectangular dish.

    3. Make pesto: To the food processor add the basil, 2 tablespoons of oil, 2 tablespoons of water and garlic. Blend until the basil is finely chopped. Season lightly to taste and set aside. 

    Basil pesto sauce in blender.

    4. Cook chicken: Cut the chicken into chunks (not too small). In a large non-stick pan heat 2 teaspoons of oil (or use oil spray), add the chicken, season lightly with salt and pepper and cook over a medium/high heat for 3-4 minutes turning occasionally (the chicken should not be cooked completely at this point). Transfer the chicken to a bowl (along with the juices) and set aside while you make the sauce.

    Cooking diced chicken in large pan.

    5. Make sauce: In a saucepan melt the butter then add the four and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Gradually add the milk and stock whisking until the sauce thickens and starts bubbling. Remove from the heat, whisk in the quark and ⅔ of the parmesan and add pepper to taste.

    Making creamy sauce for chicken pasta bake in pan with green whisk.

    6. Assemble: To the casserole dish add the chicken (along with the juices), pesto and white sauce and stir until thoroughly combined with the pasta.  

    Assembling pesto pasta with chicken and creamy sauce in rectangular dish with blue spatula.

    7. Bake: Scatter the pine nuts and the remaining parmesan over the top and bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes.

    Creamy chicken pasta with pesto and parmesan in casserole dish.

    8. Serve: Remove from the oven and serve.

    Creamy chicken fusilli pasta with pesto in rectangular dish.

    Serving suggestions

    This pesto pasta chicken bake is delicious with steamed or roasted vegetables, such as broccoli or green beans, as well as crispy salad. Also perfect with garlic bread or simply on its own.

    Can I use pesto from a jar

    I do not recommend it. Pesto from a jar is really not the same as freshly made and never tastes as good. Which is why for best results I recommend using fresh basil to make the pesto for this chicken pasta bake, but the choice is yours, of course. 

    If you do decide to use pesto from a jar add about 3 tablespoons or to taste. As this kind of pesto is usually quite salty and contains cheese use less salt and parmesan in the sauce.

    • TIP: You can sometimes get ready made fresh pesto in good delis which tastes (almost) like homemade.

    Can I freeze pesto chicken and pasta bake

    Yes, but not in its entirety. You can combine the precooked chicken with the sauce and freeze that (but only if the chicken has not been frozen previously). Freezing the entire casserole would produce soggy pasta so I do not recommend it.

    To defrost this dish place it in the fridge overnight, then boil the pasta the next day, as per Instructions, combine with the creamy chicken then bake (Steps 5 and 6).

    Can I make this dish ahead

    You can prepare different components of this creamy pesto chicken pasta casserole a day ahead and assemble the dish when you are ready to bake it. 

    • Pasta: Boil then cool it completely, add a drop of oil to prevent it becoming sticky, cover and refrigerate.
    • Chicken: Precook then cover and refrigerate (along with the juices).
    • Pesto: You can also make the pesto ahead but add a few drops of lemon juice to it, keep refrigerated in an airtight container (so it doesn't lose its bright green colour) and stir into the dish the next day. 
    • Sauce: This can also be made ahead, refrigerated (once completely cooled) and reheated just before assembling and baking the dish. 
    Creamy chicken pesto pasta in large bowl with fork.

    Top tips

    • It is important to only partly cook the pasta as well as the chicken before assembling the casserole, otherwise you'll end up with soggy pasta and tough chicken.
    • Season all the elements of this dish, i.e. the chicken as well as the pesto, and boil the pasta in salted water. You may not need to add any salt into the sauce as it contains stock but be generous with pepper.
    • Do not leave the chicken in the pan you cooked it in as it will continue cooking.  Make sure you add the chicken juice along with the meat into the casserole.
    • Best served immediately. Leftover chicken pasta bake with pesto can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Add a splash of water to loosen the consistency of the sauce when reheating it.

    More chicken pasta recipes to try next

    • Sour Cream Chicken Pasta (Low Fat)
    • Chicken Tomato Pasta Bake
    • Ground Chicken Pasta Casserole

    See also these other easy meal ideas including more chicken recipes!

    Recipe

    Side view of creamy pesto chicken pasta bake in rectangular dish with spoon.

    Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake

    This pesto chicken pasta bake is a simple one-pot dish that's wonderfully creamy and filled with delicious Mediterranean flavours everyone loves. It contains a moderate amount of fat and no heavy cream. Ready in under 40 minutes.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main
    Cuisine: Italian fusion, Low fat
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 5 servings
    Calories: 489kcal
    Author: Monika Dabrowski

    Equipment

    • Casserole dish (approx. 28/20 cm or 11/8'')
    • Food processor

    Ingredients

    • 1.1 pounds (500 g) chicken breast skinless, boneless
    • 3½ cups (280 g) fusilli pasta uncooked
    • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
    • 2 teaspoons olive oil or use oil spray

    For the pesto

    • 1.06 ounces (30 g) basil med. bunch, roughly chopped
    • 1 garlic clove chopped
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons water

    For the creamy sauce

    • 2½ tablespoons butter
    • 3 tablespoons flour
    • 1 cup+2tsp (250 ml) milk
    • 1 cup+2tsp (250 ml) vegetable stock made using 1 stock cube
    • 5-6 tablespoons (30 g) parmesan finely grated
    • 4 tablespoons quark or yogurt/sour cream
    • Sea salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 375 F/ 190 C/ gas mark 5.
      Boil pasta: Boil the pasta in salted water for 4 minutes (it needs to be a little undercooked), strain and place in a 28/20 cm (11/8'') casserole dish. While the pasta is boiling make the pesto sauce.
    • Make pesto: To the food processor add the basil, 2 tablespoons of oil, 2 tablespoons of water and garlic. Blend until the basil is finely chopped. Season lightly and set aside. 
    • Cook chicken: Cut the chicken into chunks (not too small). In a large non-stick pan heat 2 teaspoons of oil (or use oil spray), add the chicken, season lightly with salt and pepper and cook over a medium/high heat for 3-4 minutes turning occasionally (the chicken should not be cooked completely at this point).  Transfer the chicken into a bowl (along with the juices) and set aside while you make the sauce.
    • Make sauce: In a saucepan melt the butter then add the four and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Gradually add the milk and stock whisking until the sauce thickens and starts bubbling. Remove from the heat, whisk in the quark and ⅔ of the parmesan and add pepper to taste.
    • Assemble: To the casserole dish add the chicken (along with the juices), pesto and white sauce and stir until thoroughly combined with the pasta.  
    • Bake: Scatter the pine nuts and the remaining parmesan over the top and bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

    Notes

    • It is important to only partly cook the pasta as well as the chicken before assembling the casserole, otherwise you'll end up with soggy pasta and tough chicken.
    • Season individual components of this dish, i.e. the chicken as well as the pesto and boil the pasta in salted water. You may not need to add any salt into the sauce as it contains stock but be generous with pepper.
    • Do not leave the chicken in the pan you cooked it in as it will continue cooking.  Make sure you add the juices from cooking the chicken along with the meat into the casserole.
    • Best served immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.  Add a splash of water to loosen the sauce when reheating it.
    • Freezing: see bottom of the post.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 489kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 251mg | Potassium: 467mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 658IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 1mg

    *Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.

    **A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.

    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @Monika8021 or tag #EverydayHealthyRecipes!

    Keep in touch!

    Have you made pesto chicken pasta bake?  How did it turn out for you? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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    Comments

      5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    1. Fay says

      January 10, 2023 at 12:58 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious. I used cheddar and chive cheese instead and crème fresh as substitutes as I already had them in the fridge. Was as good as a restaurant meal.

      Reply
    2. Stephanie says

      February 20, 2020 at 2:32 am

      5 stars
      I made this tonight and everyone loved it! I used the premade pesto from Costco to simplify things, and thankfully this is already a fairly simple recipe. My husband requested this be on our regular dinner rotation 🙂 thank you!

      Reply
      • Monika says

        February 20, 2020 at 8:34 am

        So glad everyone enjoyed it! Thank you for your feedback:)

        Reply
    3. Grabmyrecipes says

      February 07, 2018 at 2:18 am

      This is a keeper Monika! Simple and delicious recipe!

      Reply
      • Monika says

        February 07, 2018 at 8:48 pm

        Thank you, glad you like it:)

        Reply
    4. Cooking with kids says

      January 09, 2018 at 10:02 am

      This is an ideal recipe for my children - they love all these ingredients! Thanks for sharing

      Reply
      • Monika says

        January 09, 2018 at 10:56 am

        Thank you, glad to hear that:)

        Reply
    5. Cat Sherrin says

      January 08, 2018 at 9:10 pm

      This looks so tasty and simple to put together. I've not had orzo before so I think I need to try some!

      Reply
      • Monika says

        January 08, 2018 at 9:19 pm

        Do try it, it's a bit like pasta and a bit like rice, really nice, great in salads:)

        Reply
    6. FrugalHausfrau says

      January 08, 2018 at 2:44 am

      Monika, you've made this look so lovely, and I now it's healthy! Best of all, it seems I'm always looking for a great use of orzo after I make my Italian Wedding Soup. Beautiful share at Fiesta Friday!

      Mollie

      Reply
      • Monika says

        January 08, 2018 at 12:27 pm

        Thank you Mollie, orzo is such a great type of pasta but somehow not as popular as other pasta shapes, no idea why, so I am always happy when I find a suitable recipe to put it in:)

        Reply
        • FrugalHausfrau says

          January 08, 2018 at 4:45 pm

          I think it's a little trickier to work into recipes. 🙂

          Reply
          • Monika says

            January 08, 2018 at 9:17 pm

            Yes, I agree

            Reply
      • Roxanne Barker says

        September 16, 2021 at 11:35 am

        Where is the pesto orzo chicken recipe? 😭😭😭😭 please bring this back!

        Reply
        • Monika says

          September 17, 2021 at 9:18 am

          I am so sorry, I had feedback that some people found it difficult and it didn't work for everyone so I decided to change it. Maybe give this one a go? I personally think it's better than the one before.

          Reply
    7. Arl's World says

      January 07, 2018 at 3:21 pm

      Looks delicious!

      Reply
      • Monika says

        January 07, 2018 at 5:16 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    8. Corina Blum says

      January 07, 2018 at 7:55 am

      This sounds really delicious! I haven't used orzo but am always thinking of trying it and I love the way it is cooked with all the pesto ingredients and chicken.

      Reply
      • Monika says

        January 07, 2018 at 11:50 am

        Thank you Corina:)

        Reply
    9. dtills says

      January 07, 2018 at 12:25 am

      This is a brilliant idea Monika!

      Reply
      • Monika says

        January 07, 2018 at 11:50 am

        Thank you:)

        Reply

    Hi, I am Monika, welcome to Everyday Healthy Recipes! This blog is all about simple recipes with a healthy twist, old classics with a modern take, and an occasional Polish dish thrown into the mix - all easy to make and delicious, perfect for everyday cooking.

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