From leftovers, you can make a great dinner!
I hate wasting food, so I keep leftovers in the fridge a few days until I decide how to use them. I often cook too much pasta, which makes dishes like this an easy and welcome meal on our table.
This week I cooked pasta twice and we also had two rotisserie chickens we hadn’t finished. With those ingredients on hand, this casserole came together quickly and was a big hit with my family.
When I have a whole chicken I sometimes use the slow cooker to make bone broth, but for this recipe I simply pulled the meat off the rotisserie and used it in the pasta. The casserole is fast to assemble and oven-baked to creamy perfection.
My family loved it. All my kids enjoy peas, cheese, chicken and pasta, so combining those favorites into a baked casserole guarantees a kid-approved dinner. You can swap in other vegetables if you prefer.
The finished casserole is creamy and flavorful. I used a jarred Ragu Double Cheddar Cheese sauce as an optional boost, but I also made a homemade cheese sauce as the base. Either approach works — use what you prefer or have on hand.
This recipe is flexible: add different vegetables, omit them, use leftover or freshly cooked chicken, or make it vegetarian. Cooking should be enjoyable and adaptable to your tastes.
I like that the casserole stays creamy without being heavy, and the melted cheese on top gives it a comforting finish. If you want, you can add crispy bacon or fried onion rings as a garnish for extra texture.
One of my favorite pasta dishes CHICKEN FETTUCCINE ALFREDO
My son loves Ragu cheese as much as he loves ketchup, so if a jarred sauce helps him eat more vegetables, I’m happy to use it. Those pantry items are staples in my fridge and they make this casserole easy to assemble.
If you make this dish, please tag me on Instagram @sandraseasycooking and use the hashtag #sandraseasycooking so I can see your creations.
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Baked Pasta with Chicken Casserole
5 minutes
45 minutes
50 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 lb macaroni or other small pasta
- 1 1/2 cups rotisserie chicken, pulled into bite-size pieces (skin removed)
- 1 cup frozen peas or other vegetables like broccoli
- 1 cup Ragu Double Cheddar Cheese sauce (optional)
- Cheese sauce (see instructions)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 tablespoon thickener such as guar gum, flour, or xanthan gum
- 6 oz half & half
- 1/2 cup milk (more if needed)
- 8 oz shredded cheese (I used Tillamook Mexican blend)
- 3 slices Fontina or other good-melting cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- Salt to taste
- Garnish options:
- 1 cup fried onion rings (optional)
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
- 2 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Cheese Sauce
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Once melted, add your chosen thickener—flour, guar gum, or xanthan gum—and stir to combine.
- Slowly whisk in the half & half and milk, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened.
- Continue stirring in a circular motion until the sauce is silky.
- Add the shredded cheese and the slices of Fontina, stirring until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add more milk or half & half to reach the desired consistency.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, pulled chicken, and peas (or other vegetables). Mix well.
- Pour the homemade cheese sauce over the pasta mixture. If using, add the Ragu Double Cheddar sauce as well for extra flavor.
- Transfer the mixture to a baking dish, packing it evenly. Sprinkle a handful of shredded cheese over the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes. If using fried onion rings, add them after 20 minutes and bake an additional 10 minutes. The onions are optional.
- Optional: Top with crispy bacon pieces for extra flavor.
- Optional: Sprinkle chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
You can use any type of pasta as long as it is precooked. Chicken can be grilled, sautéed, baked, or pulled from a rotisserie. Use any vegetables you like—peas work particularly well—or omit them if preferred and serve them on the side.
Did you make this recipe?
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