This is such a perfect recipe to make ahead and freeze, if you know you’re going to have a couple of really busy weeks ahead of you! Or if you’re making this for dinner tonight, you might as well double the batch and freeze the other one, just in case you happen to need a fast meal at some point.
This recipe has been a great hit over at The Recipe Critic! This is what one of the readers said about it:
This was such a great recipe. I’m glad I tried it! I did add 3 cups of heavy cream instead of 2 cups and my jar of pesto was 6.5 ounces instead of 8. It was delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 package (16 ounces) Barilla penne pasta
- 2 cups cubed Perdue chicken, cooked
- 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Italian cheese blend, divided
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 can (15 ounces) Cento crushed tomatoes
- 1 jar (8.1 ounces) prepared Classico pesto
Alfredo Sauce:
- ½ cup butter
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream (2 cups)
- 4 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Progresso italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup grated Kraft parmesan cheese
Topping:
- ¼ cup seasoned Progresso bread crumbs
- ¼ cup grated Kraft parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray and set aside. Cook the pasta in a large pot according to package directions. In a large bowl combine cooked chicken, 1 cup cheese, spinach, and tomatoes.
Alfredo sauce: Add butter, heavy whipping cream, and cream cheese in a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat and whisk until melted. Add the jar of pesto. Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Add the parmesan. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook until it starts to thicken.
Drain the pasta and add alfredo sauce to the large bowl and toss with ingredients to coat. Pour into the pan. Add remaining cheese to the top of the casserole. Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and oil. Sprinkle over casserole.
Cover with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes or until cooked throughout and bubbling on the sides.
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Quick Tip: Adjust the seasonings to your liking!
Thanks to The Recipe Critic for this delicious and hearty casserole!
