This healthy Italian baked chicken pasta freezes great! With sun dried tomatoes & basil packed in for flavor, this creamy Tuscan pasta bake is a no brainer!
As a mom, freezer meals are probably the most convenient ways to cook dinner. It’s literally SO NICE to just have food ready to heat up in the freezer and not have to worry about chopping, sauteing, or even cleaning up!
This Italian baked chicken pasta is one of our favorites around here, and it freezes so well! It’s also pretty simple, and easy to double if you want one for dinner and one to put in the freezer!
My favorite part about this recipe is all the basil, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes. This pasta bake is packed with flavor, and never disappoints!
Healthy Italian Baked Chicken Pasta
This pasta bake is pretty much packed with vegetables. I use mushrooms, kale, sun-dried tomatoes, and zucchini in this recipe, and it always turns out so cheesy & creamy, even with all the veggies!
This recipe also uses whole wheat noodles. You can also substitute garbanzo bean noodles if you want to make it even healthier! They have more fiber and protein, and I think they taste pretty much the same. My husband can always pick them apart from regular noodles, though. *eye roll*
RELATED: Healthy One Pot Mac & Cheese
Freezer Friendly
Freezer meals are literally my best friend, and this one freezes perfectly for up to 3 months. Simply follow instructions 1-5, using a freezer-safe aluminum pan. Then add in the kale and cheese, and let cool instead of putting it back in the oven. Once it’s cooled, it’ll be ready to put in the freezer!
Then, simply thaw overnight and bake at 350 degrees until heated through, about 30-35 minutes. Easy peasy!
RELATED: How To Make Quick Healthy Meals Without Cooking
Budget Friendly
Right now we are in the process of buying a first home, so our budget has never been more important! This recipe is one that I love to make because it’s on the cheaper side, but definitely doesn’t taste like “cheap” food!
This Italian baked chicken casserole comes in at $8.01 total or about $2 per serving. Super cheap and budget friendly!
Recipe
Italian Baked Chicken Pasta Freezer Meal
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb chicken breast diced
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tbsp flour
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1½ cup chicken broth
- 2 cups dry whole wheat rotini noodles
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes chopped
- 1 cup zucchini roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 8 oz mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup kale chopped
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan
- basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Heat oil in skillet on medium heat. Toss chicken in oregano, basil, and thyme. Saute chicken for about 5 minutes. It's okay if it doesn't cook all the way through.
- Meanwhile, in a 9×9 baking pan, whisk together milk, flour, pepper flakes, and broth until no clumps remain. Add dry noodles, sun dried tomatoes, zucchini, and garlic. Make sure the noodles are submerged in the milk mixture.
- Top with chicken and mushrooms. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove from the oven and uncover. Stir and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, stir in kale and cheeses. Bake another 5 minutes uncovered until cheese is melted.
- Garnish with basil and serve!
To Make It a Freezer Meal:
- Follow instructions 1-5. Stir in the kale and cheeses, then let cool completely. Once cooled, cover with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw completely before baking. Preheat the oven to 350°, and bake covered for 30-35 minutes until heated through.
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If you end up making this and loving it, take a photo and tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see your versions of my recipes! And feel free to rate it down below in the comment section. I would really appreciate it!
Now that I always have freezer meals stocked up, I can’t ever go without them again! I love the slow cooker dump recipes and casseroles like this one! What are your favorite freezer meals? Comment below!
xoxo Megan
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