You can’t have a church lunch, a potluck, or a great get-together without the perfect casserole. There might even be a rule about it somewhere. Not to worry, the Church Lunch Bake will make everyone who tries it happy in an instant; all they need to do is bite into the tender pasta, the juicy, savory chicken, the rich tomato sauce, and the melty cheese. How could anyone not be satisfied with the Church Lunch Bake? Once you bring this to the gathering, don’t be surprised if people ask you to bring this dish to every future party!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups penne pasta
- 1 (9-ounce) package fresh spinach leaves
- 1 pound chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 3/4 cups tomato and basil pasta sauce
- 2 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, cubed
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
Step 3 –Cook the pasta in a large saucepan until al dente, according to the package directions. Do not salt the water.
Step 4 –In the last minute of cooking the pasta, add the spinach to cook.
Step 5 –In a large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium-high heat, add the chicken and the basil and cook for 3 minutes.
Step 6 –Stir the tomatoes and the pasta sauce into the chicken mixture.
Step 7 –Bring the chicken mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low.
Step 8 –Simmer the chicken mixture, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through at 165 degrees F, about 3 minutes.
Step 9 –Add the Neufchâtel cheese and cook until completely melted, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 10 –Drain the pasta mixture and return it to the saucepan.
Step 11 –Stir the chicken mixture and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese into the pasta mixture.
Step 12 –Spoon the pasta mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
Step 13 –Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.
Step 14 –Top the bake with the remaining mozzarella and the parmesan cheese.
Step 15 –Bake until the mozzarella is melted, about 3 minutes.
Step 16 –Serve.
