Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Chicken Penne Casserole
Chicken pasta under a melted mozzarella top makes a generous dish for the table. Broccoli and little vegetables sit throughout the creamy penne, so each scoop has a bit of everything.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Original yield
- Serves 6
- Ingredients
- 14 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Chicken
- Cuisine
- American
- Cooking method
- Baking · Baked & roasted
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 31–60 minutes
- Dish type
- Pasta · Casseroles
A few quick notes
1. Undercook the first pasta stage
Boil the penne two minutes less than its package directions, since it continues cooking later in the casserole.
2. Mix sauce until smooth
Stir soup, milk, sour cream, Parmesan and seasonings together in a separate bowl before pouring it over the casserole filling.
3. Spread before topping
Toss until coated, smooth the filling into an even layer, then sprinkle mozzarella over the surface before baking.
Get to know the ingredients
Cooked shredded chicken
Use cooked or rotisserie chicken already shredded. It joins the drained pasta and broccoli before the sauce coats everything.
Fresh broccoli florets
Fresh florets join the boiling pasta two minutes before it is ready, then drain with the penne into the baking dish.
Frozen mixed vegetables
Try a short thaw before starting. They remain tender-crisp unless briefly boiled with broccoli for a softer result.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 6. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 6 steps completeMake room for Chicken Penne Casserole
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Serve hot and bubbly
Bake uncovered until hot and bubbling, optionally broil carefully to brown the cheese, then season with salt and pepper as needed.
A little more help as you go
Upper rack position
Move the oven rack to the top third before preheating, ready for the casserole bake and optional browned-cheese finish.
Broccoli amount has flexibility
You can use a little more or less broccoli than listed, since a pound can give three to four cups of florets.
A few questions you might have
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Add it frozen to the pasta water for only up to a minute, since it is already par-cooked and can soften excessively.
Do I cover the dish for baking?
Bake uncovered for twenty to twenty-five minutes, until hot and bubbly. The cheese can then be browned briefly under the broiler.
What size casserole dish is used?
Transfer the drained penne and broccoli to a nine-by-thirteen-inch casserole dish before adding chicken, mixed vegetables and sauce.
Does mozzarella go into the sauce bowl?
Keep it separate for the top. Parmesan goes into the sauce mixture, while mozzarella covers the evenly spread filling.
What gives the sauce its seasoning?
The sauce bowl includes Italian dressing mix, onion powder and minced garlic, combined with soup, milk, sour cream and Parmesan.
Any more cooking tips?
1 pound of broccoli typically makes about 3-4 cups when cut into florets. A little more or a little less than suggested won’t make or break this recipe! For frozen broccoli: add it from frozen to the boiling water with the pasta, but only cook it for up to a minute since frozen broccoli is already par-cooked and you don’t want it getting too soft in the oven. I recommend letting the frozen mixed veggies thaw on your counter for 15 min or so prior to starting the recipe. The veggies end up tender-crisp in this recipe. If you want them super soft, throw them in the water at the same time as the broccoli.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: saltandlavender.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
