If there was ever a guaranteed crowd‑pleaser, this creamy chicken pasta bake is it. Think tender strips of chicken, al dente pasta, a rich tomato and mascarpone sauce, and a golden, bubbling cheese crust on top. It’s the kind of dish you put in the middle of the table and everyone just helps themselves – perfect for busy weeknights, Sunday evenings on the sofa, or when you’ve got friends coming over and you want something easy but impressive.
I’m using UK measurements and completely standard supermarket ingredients, so you can grab everything in one quick shop. No faff, no fancy equipment – just a big pan, a frying pan, and an oven dish.
What You’ll Need (Serves 4 Generously)
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed or very finely chopped
• ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes (use less if you’re spice‑shy, more if you like a kick)
• 2 × 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp caster sugar (helps balance the tomatoes)
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 tbsp mascarpone cheese (roughly 90g, but no need to be exact)
Protein, pasta & cheese
• 4 skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
• 300g penne pasta (or another short pasta like rigatoni or fusilli)
• 70g mature cheddar, grated
• 50g mozzarella, grated or torn
Fresh bits
• ½ small bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped (leaves only)
Prep Before You Start
A tiny bit of organisation makes this recipe very stress‑free:
Pre‑chop and measure
• Dice the onion.
• Crush or finely chop the garlic.
• Slice the chicken breasts into even strips – this helps them cook quickly and stay juicy.
• Grate the cheddar and mozzarella if you’re not using ready‑grated.
• Finely chop the parsley.
Preheat your oven
• Set it to 220°C / 200°C fan / gas 7 so it’s properly hot when we’re ready to bake.
Pre‑chop and measure
• You’ll want a large frying pan for the sauce, another non‑stick pan for the chicken, a big saucepan for pasta and a medium ovenproof dish (roughly 2L capacity – anything that would hold a standard lasagne).
Step 1 – Slow‑Cooked Tomato & Mascarpone Sauce
Gently cook the onion
• Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a large frying pan over medium heat.
• Tip in the chopped onion and a pinch of salt.
• Cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, translucent and just starting to turn golden at the edges.
Add garlic & chilli
• Stir in the garlic and ¼ tsp chilli flakes.
• Fry for about 1 minute until fragrant, keeping the heat gentle so nothing burns.
Tomatoes & seasoning
• Pour in the 2 tins of chopped tomatoes.
• Add 1 tsp caster sugar, a good pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
• Stir everything together and bring it to a gentle simmer.
Reduce the sauce
• Let the sauce simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until it has thickened and reduced a little. It should look glossy and rich, not watery.
Stir in the mascarpone
• Turn the heat down low and spoon in the mascarpone.
• Stir until it melts into the tomatoes and the sauce turns creamy and orange‑pink.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning – add more salt, pepper or a pinch more sugar if needed.
Step 2 – Juicy Pan‑Fried Chicken
Heat the pan
• Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a non‑stick frying pan over medium‑high heat.
Season & fry
• Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper.
• Fry them in the hot pan for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until they’re lightly golden on the outside and cooked through in the middle.
Rest briefly
• Once cooked, take the chicken off the heat.
• Scrape any tasty juices from the pan into the sauce for extra flavour.
Step 3 – Perfect Pasta
Boil the pasta
• Fill a large saucepan with water, bring to the boil and add a good handful of salt.
• Add the 300g penne and cook according to the packet instructions, but stop when it’s just al dente – usually about a minute less than the packet says.
Drain & coat
• Drain the pasta in a colander.
• Toss with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil so it doesn’t stick together while you assemble everything.
Step 4 – Bring It All Together
Layer in the oven dish
• Tip the drained pasta into your ovenproof dish.
• Add the cooked chicken and any resting juices.
• Pour over the creamy tomato mascarpone sauce.
Mix well
• Gently stir everything together so the pasta and chicken are evenly coated in the sauce and there are no dry patches.
Cheese & herbs
• Sprinkle over the grated cheddar in an even layer.
• Follow with the mozzarella.
• Finish with the chopped parsley scattered across the top.
At this point you can cover and chill the dish if you want to make it ahead – it will sit happily in the fridge for up to a day. Just bring it out while the oven heats and add an extra 5–10 minutes to the baking time.
Step 5 – Bake Until Golden & Bubbling
Into the oven
• Place the dish on the middle shelf of your preheated oven.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the top is deep golden, the cheese is bubbling, and you can see the sauce just starting to peek round the edges.
Rest before serving
• Take the pasta bake out of the oven and leave it to sit for 5 minutes.
• This helps it set slightly, so it’s easier to scoop out neat portions (and saves your mouth from molten cheese burns).
Serve
• Spoon generous helpings into warm bowls.
• Add a little extra parsley on top if you like and serve with a green salad, garlic bread, or just a glass of whatever you fancy.
Variations & Swaps
• More veg – Stir a couple of handfuls of spinach into the sauce at the end, or throw some peas or sweetcorn into the pasta water for the last few minutes.
Different cheeses – Swap mozzarella for Gruyère or Emmental; go for extra‑mature cheddar if you like a strong flavour.
• Leftovers –
Use leftover roast chicken instead of fresh; shred and stir into the sauce. Leftover portions reheat well with a splash of water or milk to loosen the sauce.
• Meat‑free – Skip the chicken and add roasted veg (courgettes, peppers, red onion) or a tin of cannellini beans for extra protein.
Once you’ve made this creamy chicken pasta bake once, I honestly think it’ll sneak its way into your regular weeknight rotation. It’s one of those recipes that looks like you’ve made a real effort, but in reality you’ve mostly just stirred a few pans and let the oven do all the hard work – my favourite kind of cooking.
What I love most is how forgiving it is. Running late? It’ll sit happily in the oven on a low heat. Got odds and ends of veg lurking in the fridge? Chuck them in. Cooking for extra people? Just scale everything up and grab a bigger dish. Nobody ever complains when there’s too much pasta, do they?
It’s also a brilliant option for busy days when you want to get ahead. You can build the whole thing earlier in the day, park it in the fridge, then just bake it when you’re ready to eat. Future you will be very smug when all that’s left to do is turn the oven on and pour yourself a drink.
If you do give this a go, I’d absolutely love to see it – tag me in your photos or videos and let me know how you got on. Did you add extra chilli? More cheese? Garlic bread on the side? (Strongly encouraged.) Don’t forget to save or pin this recipe so you’ve got it handy for the next time you need a proper cosy, comforting dinner without any drama.
LCChaosandhome 