Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake Recipe

Ingredients

This recipe was developed at its original yield. Ingredient amounts are automatically adjusted, but cooking times and steps remain unchanged. Note that not all recipes scale perfectly.

• Cooking spray
• 1 cups multi-grain penne pasta, uncooked
• 1 (9 ounce) bag fresh spinach leaves
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 (14 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
• 2 ounces PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel cheese, cubed
• 1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Lightly grease a casserole dish with cooking spray.

Step 2: Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite (about 11 minutes). In the final minute, add the spinach to the boiling water. Drain the pasta and spinach mixture, then set it aside.

Step 3: Grease a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat it over medium-high. Add the chicken and basil to the skillet, cooking and stirring for about 3 minutes.

Step 4: Stir in the diced tomatoes and spaghetti sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the chicken is fully cooked (about 3 minutes), stirring occasionally.

Step 5: Add the Neufchtel cheese to the skillet, stirring until it melts into the sauce.

Step 6: Add the cooked penne and spinach mixture, along with cup of mozzarella cheese, to the skillet. Stir everything together until well combined.

Step 7: Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared casserole dish and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Step 8: Sprinkle the remaining cup of mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan over the dish. Continue baking for another 3 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.

Tips

• You can use no-salt-added diced tomatoes and lower-sodium spaghetti sauce if you're watching your sodium intake.
• If you don't have a 2-quart casserole dish, you can substitute an 8-inch square baking dish.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

• Calories: 468
• Total Fat: 15g (19% DV)
• Saturated Fat: 7g (36% DV)
• Cholesterol: 89mg (30% DV)
• Sodium: 1004mg (44% DV)
• Total Carbohydrate: 39g (14% DV)
• Dietary Fiber: 7g (25% DV)
• Total Sugars: 12g
• Protein: 43g (86% DV)
• Vitamin C: 27mg (30% DV)
• Calcium: 394mg (30% DV)
• Iron: 6mg (31% DV)
• Potassium: 942mg (20% DV)

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Nutrient information may not be available for all ingredients.