Baked Penne with Chicken and Peas
An easy recipe for Baked Penne with Chicken and Peas, perfect for a crowd or bake one and freeze one for two meals in one!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups warm milk
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- Zest of 1 small lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- Fresh black pepper
- 2 cups cooked chopped or shredded chicken breast
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook penne per package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until smooth, about 1 minute. Slowly add in milk stirring constantly until sauce thickens and creamy, about 7 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese melts and sauce is creamy.
- Stir in dijon mustard, parsley flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon zest, salt and pepper until blended. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste if desired.
- Add in cooked penne, chicken and peas and stir until combined.
- Pour mixture into a 9×13 baking dish and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted.
Notes
If starting with uncooked chicken breast – Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place 2 (6 ounce each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts on baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for about 40-45 minutes until thoroughly cooked. Allow to cool then shred or chop.
Freezer instructions – Follow instructions but instead of baking as directed, place desired amount of pasta mixture in a freezer safe baking dish. Allow to cool then cover and freeze. To cook from frozen, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 60-90 minutes until hot and bubbly.