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Chicken and Veg Pasta Bake

4.84 from 25 votes

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Updated

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Chicken and Veg Pasta Bake - tender chicken, pasta and vegetables baked in a creamy tomato sauce and topped with melted cheese. A comforting family dinner that's easy to prepare and great for busy weeknights. 

Close up of Baked Chicken Veg Pasta Bake with Spoonful Removed.

If I ask my kids what they want for dinner, pasta is usually the first thing they shout! They love pasta dishes like tuna pasta, roasted veg pasta, broccoli pesto pasta or carrot pasta. But when you add a cheesy topping and bake it in the oven, it takes pasta to a whole new level.

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Reasons to Love This Recipe

  • Make-Ahead: This dish can be prepared the night before or earlier in the day to make dinner time a breeze! 
  • Packed with vegetables: It may not look like it, but this pasta bakes contains five different vegetables. Serve with extra veggies on the side if you like.
  • Easy to Adapt: This recipe is flexible. Swap the vegetables out or leave out the chicken depending on what you have on hand or to suit your family's tastes. 

Ingredient Info (With Alternative Suggestions)

Ingredients Needed to Make Chicken Veg Pasta Bake.
  • Pasta: Rigatoni works great, bust most short pasta shapes will work (e.g penne, fusilli, shells etc)
  • Onion & Garlic: Added for flavour to the sauce and blend will into the dish.
  • Dried Oregano: Added for flavour, can be omitted or replaced with dried Italian herb mix or fresh herbs such as basil or parsley. 
  • Tomato Paste: Adds richness and depth.
  • Passata (tom puree / sieved tomatoes): can be replaced with crushed tomatoes but sauce will be chunkier.
  • Chicken Stock: Can replace with vegetable stock. To keep sodium levels down, for young children, use homemade stock.
  • Double / Thickened / Heavy Cream: Adds richness and creamy texture. You can leave it out if you prefer a tomato sauce. 
  • Veg (Spinach, Bell Pepper, Peas): Feel free to swap depending on what you have. Grated zucchini, sliced mushrooms, small broccoli florets, or corn all work well.
  • Chicken: Chicken thighs stay juicy during baking, but chicken breast can also be used.
  • Cheese: Mozzarella melts beautifully and gives that classic cheesy stretch. Parmesan adds extra flavour. Other good melting cheeses could be used such as Monterey Jack, Colby, Provolone, Gruyere, or Cheddar.
  • Seasoning: Taste and season the sauce before assembling the bake. (Do not season if feeding a baby / young child)

Step by Step Instructions (with Images)

Cooked Rigatoni in Pot.
  1. Blitz: Cook the pasta in water for 1 min less than the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Chicken Thigh Sauteed in Skillet Pan.
  1. Brown Chicken: Toss the chicken with oregano and garlic powder. Cook until lightly golden. Transfer to plate.
Sautéed Onion, Garlic and Bell Pepper in Skillet,
  1. Saute Vegetables: In the same pan, saute the onion, garlic and bell pepper until softened.
Chicken Added to Tomato Sauce in Skillet.
  1. Build Sauce: Stir in the tomato paste and oregano and cook for 1 min. Add passata, stock and return chicken to pan and simmer for 5 mins.
Chicken Veg Pasta Mixed in Skillet.
  1. Finish: Stir in the cream, spinach and peas, allowing the spinach to wilt. Stir thought the cooked pasta.
Chicken and Veg Pasta Bake in Dish Before Baking.
  1. Assemble and Bake: Transfer to a baking dish and top with shredded mozzarella and parmesan. Bake until bubbly and golden.

Storage & Re-Heating Instructions

  • Refrigerator: Store leftover chicken pasta bake covered in the fridge four up to 3 days.
  • Reheating: Reheat individual portions in the microwave until hot, add a little more cheese on top and then place under the grill (broiler) until topping is bubbly.
    Alternatively, you can place in the oven (covered in foil) at 190C/375F  until hot throughout. You may find that you need to add a couple of tablespoons of stock as during storage the sauce can be absorbed by the pasta. 
  • Freezing: Assemble the pasta bake but do not bake. Allow to cool, cover well and freeze.
  • Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then bake per the recipe instructions.

Recipe FAQs

Is this recipe suitable for babies?

This chicken pasta bake can be served to babies over 6 months of age, provided they are developmentally ready and comfortable with self feeding. However, there are a few considerations.

Allergens: This recipe contains wheat (pasta) and dairy (cheese and cream), which are common allergens. These foods should be introduced separately and safely before serving this dish.

Sodium: Be mindful of the salt content from the stock and cheese. You can reduce the sodium by using homemade stock or low sodium stock, or replacing some of the stock with water. You may also wish to reduce or skip the cheese in baby portions.

Choking: Ensure the chicken and vegetables are cut into baby-appropriate pieces, and squash the peas to reduce the choking risk

Always supervise babies while eating and serve food seated upright in a highchair or at the table.

This information is provided for general guidance only and should not replace professional advice. Always seek advice from your health professional if you have concerns about feeding your child.

More Family Meal Ideas

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Close up of Baked Chicken Veg Pasta Bake with Spoonful Removed.
4.84 from 25 votes
Author: Amy

Chicken and Veg Pasta Bake

Pasta, chicken and a variety of vegetables baked in a creamy tomato sauce with a tasty cheesy topping. 
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Serves:6
Hover over "serves" value to reveal recipe scaler
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Equipment

  • Large Frying Pan (or large saucepan)
  • Large Baking Dish

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 500g / 1lb chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Pasta Bake

  • 300g (10 oz) rigatoni pasta
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 700g (24oz) tomato passata (pureed, strained tomatoes sometimes known as tomato puree)
  • 250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
  • 125ml (½ cup) double cream (thicken cream / heavy cream)
  • 120g (4.2 oz) spinach leaves
  • 75g (½ cup) peas
  • 80g (½ cup) mozzarella, grated
  • 80g (½ cup) parmesan, grated

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 180℃/350F
  • Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add pasta and cook per packet directions minus 1 minute. Drain and rinse under water and set aside.
  • In a bowl toss the chicken thigh pieces together with the garlic powder and oregano.
  • Heat a large saucepan/skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and cook the chicken for around 3 minutes, until lightly golden on the outside (will still be raw in the middle). Remove to a plate and set aside.
  • In the same pan add the onion and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and bell pepper and saute gently until onion is soft and translucent (around 3 mins.) Stir in the the tomato paste and dried oregano and stir for a further minute.
  • Add the passata and chicken stock (I usually pour the chicken stock into the empty passata bottle, give it a quick shake to catch any remaining sauce, and add that to the pan). Bring to a gentle simmer, return the chicken and allow to simmer for around 5 mins. Stir in the cream, spinach and peas, cooking until the spinach has wilted. Taste and season accordingly.
  • Stir in the cooked pasta and gently stir to combine, then transfer the mixture to a large baking dish.
  • Top with the grated mozzarella and parmesan. Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes. The dish should be hot throughout and the cheese golden and bubbly.

Video

Recipe Notes

**Recipe first published in 2020, it has been updated in 2026 based on reader feedback. Changes include using chicken thigh to replace shredded chicken breast and reducing the pasta amount slightly for a saucier result. If you would like the original version, please email me and I'll happily send you it. 
Stock: I used chicken stock but you can also use vegetable stock. If serving a baby make sure to use homemade stock to reduce sodium levels. Alternatively you can replace with a second can of chopped tomatoes. 
Cheese: A mix of mozzarella and parmesan is used for the topping. Mozzarella melts really well and has that nice stretch and parmesan adds great flavour. You can replace with other gold melting cheeses such as Gruyere, Monterey Jack, Colby, Provolone & Cheddar.  
Nutritional Information is a ROUGH guide only, calculated using an online nutrition calculator. 

Nutritional facts

Calories: 639kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 476mg | Potassium: 1155mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 3853IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 326mg | Iron: 5mg
Course:Main Meal
Cuisine:Western
Did you make this recipe?Tag me on Instagram at @healthylittlefoodies or leave me a comment & rating below.

More Family Friendly Dinners

About Amy Whiteford

Amy Whiteford runs the blog Healthy Little Foodies. She is a mum to two, has a BSc (Hons) Food Science, PGDE Primary Education and a Certificate in Childhood Nutrition. She uses her experience and knowledge to create healthy and delicious recipes for kids. Explore the site for creative ideas, tips, and inspiration! Read more

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. R

    5 stars
    Hi, a quick question about your oven temp.
    Is this for a fan oven?

    Reply

    • Amy

      Hi R, Yes a fan oven 🙂

      Reply

  2. Sally

    Hi my little boy liked it. What size baking dish do you use? I had to use 2

    Reply

    • Amy

      Thanks Sally, my baking dish was 10x10inch 🙂

      Reply

  3. LoJo

    4 stars
    Made it! Pros: makes a TON of food. I actually put 1/4 of it in the freezer before baking bc we don’t need 7 three-person meals out of it! Easy to make. Con: makes lots of dirty dishes—a pasta pot, a stovetop pan, cutting board, raw chicken dish, and a Pyrex for baking. Also doesn’t have a ton of flavor, which I guess is ok for toddlers but not great for adults.

    Reply

    • Amy

      Thanks for the feedback LoJo, it always helps 🙂

      Reply

  4. Tam G

    I love this but mine didn't have anough sauce so added more. Delicious though!

    Reply

    • Amy

      Thanks Tam 🙂

      Reply

  5. Natasha

    Made this for the first time today. I have a picky 2.5yr old and a happy to try anything 13 month old. The whole family loved it! I don't usually change things up, but I had to today. I used chicken mince. It was still delicious. Will be making this to freeze now too.

    Reply

    • Amy

      Thanks Natasha, chicken mince sounds great 🙂

      Reply

  6. Madi fox

    Delicious! Replaced cream with coconut milk and was yum

    Reply

    • Amy

      Yum! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply

      • Jenny

        Hi Amy, is it okay to cook & then freeze into smaller portions do you think?

        Reply

    • Magdalena

      3 stars
      where us my favourite spinach chicken pasta bake? I've been using this recipe for years as it's my sons favourite meal! why would you modify it ? instead of just creating another bew recipe?

      Reply

      • Amy Whiteford

        Hi Magdalena,
        I’m so glad to hear you’ve been enjoying this recipe for so long, and I’m really sorry for the frustration caused by the change.

        When I update recipes, it’s usually based on feedback I’ve received, so I revisit them to try and improve things. In this case, I made a couple of small adjustments: switching to raw chicken thigh instead of pre-cooked shredded chicken (as some readers found it inconvenient because they don't have cooked chicken to hand or felt the chicken breast turned out dry), and slightly increasing the sauce to pasta ratio so it’s a bit less dry.

        I completely understand how disappointing it is when a long time favourite changes. I usually include a note offering the original version but missed that here, sorry about that. I’m very happy to send you the original recipe so you can keep making it the way your son loves.

        Thanks so much for your support over the years
        Amy

        Reply

  7. Limi

    4 stars
    More of a succes with the husband than with the kids, but they also really liked it! Definitely making it again soon.

    Reply

    • Amy

      Thanks, Limi! Glad it got a thumbs up from your husband and that your kids enjoyed it too 🙂

      Reply

  8. Anjana

    Ty it was really really great

    Reply

    • Amy

      Glad you enjoyed it, Anjana 🙂

      Reply

  9. Graham Chapman

    5 stars
    Great tasting and straight forward to make

    Reply

    • Amy

      Thanks for the 5 stars, Graham. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply

  10. Alicia E

    5 stars
    I didn’t have any shredded chicken so made it with chunks of chicken. A success and hit all round. Thank you

    Reply

    • Amy

      Thanks Alicia, glad you enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply

  11. Bernadette

    5 stars
    Such a great, make ahead meal. We had ours with mushrooms and it made a delicious easy peasy Sunday night dinner. Thanks for another great recipe!

    Reply

    • Amy

      Thanks Bernadette, mushrooms sounds like a great addition 🙂

      Reply
4.84 from 25 votes (18 ratings without comment)

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