Tilly has a particular pasta that she loves to make whenever she has company, or just whenever she’s feeling like something homey and warm! This is that dish, Tilly’s Dinner Bake: a tender bed of pasta with bold, vibrant, tomatoes, a creamy sauce, and bites of juicy, savory chicken. A blanket of melted mozzarella really helps take her dish to the next level and make it memorable! Tilly’s Dinner Bake brings everyone to the table with a smile… a smile that will only grow bigger as they chow down!
Ingredients
- 5 cups fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 pounds, chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped, plus more, to taste, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped, plus more, to taste, for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 (16-ounce) box penne pasta, cooked, according to the package directions
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
Step 1 –In a colander, toss together the tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of the salt.
Step 2 –Place the colander in the sink and let the mixture stand for 30 minutes.
Step 3 –Gently shake the colander to remove the excess moisture from the tomatoes.
Step 4 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 5 –Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 6 –In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Step 7 –Add the onion and the garlic to the oil and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
Step 8 –Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned but not quite cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 9 –Stir in the salted tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the basil, 1 tablespoon of the oregano, the pepper, and the remaining salt and cook until the tomatoes are heated through and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 3 minutes.
Step 10 –Transfer the skillet from the heat.
Step 11 –Stir in the cooked pasta and the heavy cream.
Step 12 –Pour the chicken-pasta mixture into the prepared pan.
Step 13 –Sprinkle the top of the bake with the mozzarella.
Step 14 –Loosely cover the baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.
Step 15 –Uncover the baking dish and bake until the casserole is hot and bubbly, and the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.
Step 16 –Let the casserole stand for 15 minutes.
Step 17 –Garnish with the extra basil and the extra oregano and serve.
