Description
This Chicken Ricotta Pasta is a comforting, flavorful dish combining tender seared chicken breasts baked in a rich marinara sauce topped with creamy ricotta and Parmesan cheese. Served over perfectly cooked rigatoni with sautéed spinach and garlic, it’s an easy one-pan meal perfect for a family dinner.
Ingredients
Chicken and Sauce
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 5 (6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (plus additional 1/4 tsp for ricotta mixture)
- 1 onion, diced
- 8 oz fresh baby spinach
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 24 oz jar marinara sauce
- 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
Cheese Mixture
- 1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
- 1 oz shredded Parmesan cheese
Pasta
- 10 oz dry rigatoni
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F to prepare for baking the chicken and sauce.
- Brown Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add them to the hot skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on one side until lightly browned. Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same skillet, add diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes over medium heat until softened. Add baby spinach and sauté until bright green and tender. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Sauce: Pour the marinara sauce into the skillet with vegetables and stir well. Heat the mixture for 2-3 minutes to combine flavors.
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a small bowl, mix together ricotta, Parmesan, black pepper, and Italian seasoning until combined.
- Assemble and Bake: Nestle each chicken breast into the marinara sauce in the skillet. Evenly spread the ricotta cheese mixture over each chicken breast. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 22-26 minutes, depending on chicken thickness. Optionally, broil for the last 1-2 minutes for a bubbly, charred finish.
- Cook Pasta: While the chicken bakes, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add rigatoni and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta.
- Serve: Plate the hot rigatoni pasta and top with the spinach marinara chicken mixture. Serve immediately for a hearty and delicious meal.
Notes
- You can substitute rigatoni with other tubular pasta such as penne or ziti.
- Use fresh spinach for better texture and flavor rather than frozen.
- Broiling at the end adds a nicely browned, bubbly topping but keep a close eye to avoid burning.
- Ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F for safe consumption.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on stovetop or microwave.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
