Description
Chicken Kiev Pasta Bake delivers a delightful twist on the classic Ukrainian dish, merging creamy pasta with herby, garlicky chicken in one comforting casserole. Melted butter and crispy breadcrumbs make this weeknight dinner a total crowd-pleaser your family will devour.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 12 ounces pasta (cavatappi, penne, or fusilli)
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or chopped
- ½ cup unsalted butter
Flavor Enhancers:
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Topping Ingredients:
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
Instructions
- Boil 12 oz pasta in heavily salted water for 8-9 minutes until perfectly al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
- Melt ½ cup unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1-2 minutes until aromatic.
- Stir ½ cup chopped fresh parsley, ½ teaspoon onion powder, salt, and pepper into the melted butter mixture.
- Add 2 cups shredded chicken to the pasta bowl. Pour warm garlic butter mixture over the pasta and chicken.
- Optional: Fold ½ cup shredded mozzarella into the pasta mixture for extra creaminess.
- Transfer the pasta blend to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, spreading evenly.
- Toss ½ cup panko breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons olive oil until thoroughly coated.
- Sprinkle seasoned breadcrumbs across the entire surface of the pasta dish.
- Bake uncovered at 375°F for 20-22 minutes until breadcrumbs turn golden brown and crispy.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs instead of breasts for more flavor and moisture in the pasta bake.
- Toast the breadcrumbs separately before sprinkling to ensure maximum crunch and golden color.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular pasta with chickpea or rice pasta and use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Add a splash of white wine to the garlic butter for an extra depth of flavor that complements the chicken perfectly.
- Prep Time: 12 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg