Are you a busy bee that your family proudly calls Mom or Wife? Then this dinner recipe is for you: Easy Oven-Baked Pasta Recipe for Busy Moms (A Quick and Delicious Family Dinner Idea for Tonight).
Jump to RecipeWhy Oven-Baked Pasta?
Remember that Viral TikTok Spaghetti dish that was everywhere a few years ago and you simply couldn’t escape? Yeah… this is basically it- with just a few tweaks (rotini noodles & chicken instead of beef).
If, for whatever reason, you haven’t made this quick and easy oven-baked pasta yet -and you’re a busy mommy- let this be your sign today.
Yes, it’s a very simple dish, but it’s absolutely amazing. I never knew I needed that mixture of red tomato sauce and Alfredo sauce to make my dreams come true.
This dish is also an easy clean up. You won’t be left with a disaster of a kitchen (trust… we’ve all been there) because it only requires a few pieces of cookware. After eating this pasta, your family will gladly help with the minimal clean up and more because it’s just that good.
Ready? Here’s how to make an easy Oven-Baked Pasta your whole family will love!
How To Make This Amazing Oven-Baked Pasta
Easy Oven-Baked Pasta Recipe for Busy Moms | Quick Family Dinner Idea Tonight
Course: DinnerDifficulty: Easy5-7
servings15
minutes40
minutesI don’t have exact measurements for everything because I like to measure with my heart ❤️
Ingredients
- Chicken
3 Thinly Sliced Chicken Breasts
Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper (to taste)
Onion Powder (to taste)
Montreal Chicken Season (to taste)
Cajun Season (to taste)
- Alfredo Sauce
1 1/2 Sticks of Salted Butter
Minced Garlic (I used 5 cloves)
3 Cups Heavy Cream (1 1/2 Pints)
3 Tablespoons Cream Cheese (Optional)
5 oz Shredded Parmesan
Salt (to taste)
Black Pepper (to taste)
Onion Powder (to taste)
Italian Season (to taste)
Cajun Season (optional & to taste)
- Pasta Sauce
1 Jar of Your Fave Tomato Sauce (I used Rao’s Roasted Garlic)
- Other
16 oz of Your Choice of Pasta (I used Rotini)
Shredded Mozzarella (To taste)
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Boil pasta al dente in heavily salted boiling water.
- Rub oil on chicken and season (measure with your ❤️).
- Cook chicken on both sides on a lightly oiled pan.
- Slice and cut chicken into dice sized cubes.
- Melt butter in pan and add garlic.
- Cook until you can smell the aroma.
- Add heavy cream, cream cheese, and shredded parmesan.
- Mix
- Add seasonings (measure with your ❤️).
- Mix and let thicken.
- Add your tomato sauce (I used a little over half of the jar).
- Add extra seasoning if necessary.
- Let that cook for a few minutes & then add chicken.
- Mix
- Pour mixture onto noodles in an oven-safe dish.
- Add mozzarella on top & pop in the oven for 20 minutes.
Notes
- Have fun with it & make it yours!
Making the Chicken
Coat your chicken with a bit of oil and season it using either the seasonings listed above or your favorite blend. If you want the flavors to really soak in, cover the chicken and refrigerate it for 15 minutes to 2 hours.
Lightly oil a pan and sear each chicken breast on both sides over medium-high heat until the center is cooked through—about 2 minutes per side. There’s no need to overcook it, as the chicken will continue to cook in the oven.
Once done, dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set it aside until it’s time to mix it into the pasta sauce.
Making the Pasta Sauce
In the same pan you used to cook the chicken, melt the salted butter and add in the minced garlic. Stir continuously until the garlic becomes fragrant and the kitchen fills with that delicious garlic-butter aroma.
Next, pour in the heavy cream and add the cream cheese (optional) and shredded Parmesan. Keep stirring until everything is well combined and smooth. Then, season with salt, black pepper, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and a touch of Cajun seasoning if you’d like a little kick. Use your heart as your measuring tool ❤️ — trust your instincts!
Let the sauce simmer over medium heat until it thickens. Once it reaches your desired consistency, add as much red tomato sauce as you’d like and let it cook for another 2–3 minutes.
When you’re happy with the flavor and texture, stir in the diced chicken from earlier and give everything a good mix.
Baking
In an oven-safe dish, combine the boiled noodles with the chicken and pasta sauce mixture. Give it a good mix, making sure every piece of pasta is coated in that saucy goodness!
Top with as much (or as little) shredded mozzarella as you’d like, spreading it evenly across the surface.
Place the dish in a preheated oven at 350°F and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and golden brown.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Leave a Reply