This sun-dried tomato pasta bake has a rich creamy alfredo sauce with a pesto drizzle and layers of delicious cheese.  It’s a family favorite and perfect for dinner any day of the week.

This pasta bake is easy, delicious and can be whipped together in 20 or 30 minutes.  It has large, hearty chunks of chicken, loads of delicious cheeses and a creamy sun-dried tomato alfredo sauce your family will love.

Pro Tips:

• I blend my Sun-dried tomatoes up in the blender with a little chicken broth to avoid melt downs from my picky eaters. I’m currently in the phase of life where chunky food isn’t allowed.
• The sun-dried tomatoes are delicious sliced thinly and stirred into the alfredo sauce.  (that’s definitely the prefered method unless you have picky eaters who don’t like “chunks.”
• You can use bottled sun-dried tomatoes or the dry sun-dried tomatoes that come in a zipped pouch
• If you use the zipped pouch kind, just soak them in some warm water for a few minutes while you’re making your alfredo sauce and cooking the chicken.
• You can use just about any type of noodle.  The mini bow tie pasta is really cute!  I used the “Casa Recce” brand from Costco.  I love this brand of pasta because it’s so chewy and holds sauce really well.
• Be sure to drain the pasta when it is al dente.  You will be adding it to the alfredo sauce and baking it for about 15 minutes so it will have some time to finish cooking.
• This doesn’t freeze super well.  It tends to get a little dry.  If you need it to sit in the fridge for a day or two or you end up needing to freeze it, be sure to make about a third more alfredo sauce otherwise the noodles will soak up the alfredo sauce and it will be a little dry.
• I used some store-bought pesto for this dish but I love to make it with homemade pesto when my basil is fresh from the garden.

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Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Bake

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

45 mins

 

This sun-dried tomato pasta bake has a rich creamy alfredo sauce with a pesto drizzle and layers of delicious cheese.  It's a family favorite and perfect for dinner any day of the week.  

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 8

Calories: 600 kcal

Author: Jill Baird

Ingredients

Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo Sauce

• 2 Tablespoons Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• 1/2 Cup Chicken Broth
• 2 Cups Heavy Cream
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• dash Pepper
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Remaining Ingredients:

• 1 17.6 ounce package of noodles (8-9 Servings)
• 1/4 Cup Pesto
• 2 1/2 Cups Mozerella Cheese
• 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
• 1.5 Lbs. Chicken cut into 1/2" Pieces
• 2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic

Instructions

1. Cook noodles according to package.  (Make sure to only cook them till al dente)  Set Aside.

2. Combine Sun-dried tomatoes and chicken broth in a blender and blend till smooth. Set aside.

3. Combine the heavy cream, salt, pepper, butter and 1 cup parmesan cheese in a sauce pan.  Bring mixture to a boil and stir constantly for 5 minutes.  This will slowly thicken the alfredo sauce.  Pour the sun-dried tomato mixture in with the alfreo sauce. Mix.

4. Cook chicken in a frying pan and add the garlic the last few minutes of cooking.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Set aside

5. Combine the chicken, alfredo sauce, and pasta. Stir till mixed throughly.  Add 1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and mix again.  Pour into a 9 by 13 baking dish.

6. Top the pasta with 1 cup mozzerella cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan, and drizzle the pasta with pesto sauce.

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until the cheese is golden. Enjoy!