Caprese Chicken Casserole Recipe
Easy weeknight meals like Caprese Chicken Casserole Recipe, made with rotisserie chicken, pasta, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and fresh basil!
Friends, today I’m sharing 3 things that I love. First, an easy dinner recipe, Caprese Chicken Casserole Recipe. Second, my favorite LeCreuset braiser! Third, another beautiful Oregon hike!
Caprese Chicken Casserole Recipe
One of my go-to recipes is a delicious chicken pasta bake, with rotisserie chicken, fresh tomatoes and basil, and whatever cheese I need to use up in the fridge: Caprese Chicken Casserole Recipe.
Here are the easy ingredients:
- Whole wheat pasta bowtie pasta
- Tomato basil pasta sauce
- Sun-dried Tomato & Olive Pesto
- Rotisserie chicken, chopped
- Fresh mozzarella, or 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
- Cherry tomatoes
- Fresh basil leaves
LeCreuset 5-quart braiser
Guys, I’m using my favorite 5-quart Braiser; so easy to clean. It comes with a lid, so you can serve the food hot. You can buy this LeCreuset 5-quart Braiser [affiliate link] and I think you’ll love it!
Y’all may remember many of my recipes cooked in my blue braiser (another classic from Le Creuset). You can buy these in different sizes and colors!
Oh, and what’s the clean up like? Easy!
This size has a wide base; perfect for casseroles, too. And it also fits nicly on The Big Board! I used this in my Epic Chili Dinner Board and Epic Clam Chowder Dinner Board recipes!
Secret in the sauce for caprese chicken
Of course, the secret is in the sauce. I combine 2 ingredients that make the sauce superb for this recipe.
A premium pasta sauce and a jar of pesto! Whip this recipe up on the stovetop, and then add the finishing touch of basil, tomatoes and cheese, broiled to perfection for only a few minutes!
Hiking in Oregon
Before our hike, I laid out all the dry ingredients on the counter, ready to whip up a delicious meal as we returned from our hike, hungry, of course.
Serve with a baguette and a large green salad? The perfect dinner, any time of year!
Hiking Benham Butte
My hubby and I took a trail off the beaten path to Benham Falls, and hiked to the top of Benham Butte!
It was such a beautiful day, and of course the pups were in heaven on this 6 mile hike.
Look waaaaaaay down and you will see the tiny Deschutes River. So little in the picture, so big and peaceful when you’re floating on it in kayaks.
Of course the pups are always the happiest! (Alder the Whoodle was 9 months old in this post, and sadly, Haggis is gone now to puppy heaven.)
Easy caprese chicken dinner
A few hours later, very hungry, and home to whip up this fresh and lovely Caprese Chicken Casserole Recipe for dinner. (One of the reasons I love to keep cooked chicken in the fridge.)
This hike spurred a little hunger in our bellies. And pasta is always good for filling up the belly!
Anyway, enjoy this EASY dinner, any time of year!
More pasta recipes:
Mexican Bowtie Pasta Bake [Noble Pig]
Tomato Mozzarella Pasta Salad [Foodness Gracious]
Summer Avocado Pasta Salad [RE]
Summer Italian Spaghetti Salad + video [RE]
4 Ingredient Creamy Pasta Bake [RE]
Get the Recipe:
Caprese Chicken Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz. bag/box whole wheat pasta, I used DeLallo Farfalle, or bowtie pasta
- 1 25 oz. jar of tomato basil pasta sauce
- 1 6 oz. jar Sun-dried Tomato & Olive Pesto, DeLallo brand
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken, chopped
- 16 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced (or 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Make pasta according to package directions, making sure it’s cooked al dente; drain. Chop rotisserie chicken and basil and set aside. Chop tomatoes and slice mozzarella cheese (or get 2 cups grated cheese ready).
- In a baking dish, combine the cooked pasta, tomato sauce, pesto, chopped chicken, and half the basil. Salt and pepper to taste. Heat lightly throughout on low heat.
- Turn the oven on to broil. In the same pan add tomatoes and the cheese. Sprinkle with more basil.
- Broil on HI for about 1-2 minutes, or until cheese begins to brown and is bubbly.
- Serve sprinkled with the remaining chopped basil leaves.
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
Yum…..pinned it for later. Looks so good.
This looks delicious! I think your silverware is stunning…may I ask what they are called?? I have an anniversary coming up. (Wink!)
Hi, Donna! That came with our last “mountain home” … I know, I love it, too! It’s fairly old!
I work full time and have two active teenagers. I’m always looking for quick, easy meals. Tried this tonight and they loved it! There’s plenty left for tomorrow night, so it’s a win-win. Thank you!!
Oh yum! I love a good pasta dish! And we love Benham Falls. We have hiked to the top but when we were there in September he went on quite a few bike rides and one was through Sunriver and up over to Benham falls. he put on quite a few miles that trip