Worrying about what to make for Sunday dinner is a thing of the past. Now, Chicken Ziti Bake reigns supreme! The tender ziti is exactly the right pasta to scoop up the rich, sweet, and vibrant tomato sauce with just the right amount of heat and the savory shredded chicken. And of course, topping everything with the classic mozzarella and parmesan cheese combination makes everything just a little happier. Chicken Ziti Bake is ready in just an hour, so no need to sweat over a hot stove all day for an amazing pasta dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled plum tomatoes, tomatoes coarsely crushed by hand and the juices reserved
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes, undrained
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 pound uncooked ziti
- 3 cups rotisserie chicken, cooked and shredded
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced, plus more, to taste, for garnish
- 1 1/2 ounces parmesan cheese, finely shredded
- 8 ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
Step 1 –Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Step 2 –Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Step 3 –Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Step 4 –Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 5 –Add the plum tomatoes and their reserved juices, the crushed tomatoes and their juices, the salt, the black pepper, and the crushed red pepper and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
Step 6 –Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld and the sauce thickens, about 30 minutes.
Step 7 –Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Step 8 –Add the ziti to the boiling water and cook to al dente, according to the package directions.
Step 9 –Drain the ziti and return it to the pot.
Step 10 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 11 –Add the tomato mixture, the chicken, and 1/4 cup of the basil to the ziti and stir to coat thoroughly.
Step 12 –Pour 1/2 of the ziti mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Step 13 –Sprinkle the ziti with 1/3 cup of the parmesan and 1 cup of the mozzarella.
Step 14 –Top the cheese layer with the remaining ziti, then sprinkle on the remaining parmesan and the remaining mozzarella.
Step 15 –Bake until the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.
Step 16 –Let the bake rest for 10 minutes.
Step 17 –Garnish with the extra basil and serve.
