Chicken Bolognese Baked Ziti is crowd pleaser, both with kids and adults. Because it is so easy to freeze and bake in bulk, it is perfect for big parties too. You can make the dish vegetarian by adding finely chopped mushroom or tofu instead of chicken. You could also add bite size cauliflower or broccoli and make it vegetable loaded. This Baked Pasta with Chicken Bolognese is a favorite in my home and probably the only pasta dish I like that is covered in tomato sauce.
When you look at the overall steps, it may feel like a lot of work, but a little multitasking is all this baked pasta recipe needs.
While the Chicken Bolognese sauce gets cooked, boil the pasta on the side.
Then, mix it all together and layer in an ovenproof dish with lots of cheese. Bake it until it’s golden brown and the cheese is bubbling away.
What pasta to use for baked ziti?
You can choose any variety of pasta that you like. However, my go-to is often penne pasta or ziti pasta. Both these varieties are hollow cylindrical shape and as a result, the sauce gets to ooze inside making it so creamy and tasty.
Can you make baked ziti Vegetarian?
Absolutely yes! You can ignore the ground chicken and add finely chopped mushroom or tofu. You could also use tiny bite size cauliflower or broccoli.
Can you freeze this Baked Pasta with Chicken Bolognese?
What makes this dish so great for parties or picnics is that you can make the whole thing in advance.
Layer the pasta with cheese in an ovenproof dish and cover it tightly with an aluminum foil. Keep it in the refrigerator and bake it just before serving.
You could also just make the sauce and freeze it. When you are ready to make the dish, just thaw the sauce, boil some pasta, layer and bake.
Additionally, you can serve this dish even without baking. Just mix everything and shave some Parmesan cheese on top.
Irrespective of whether you serve it with or without baking, this creamy pasta dish is a keeper and can be served in several different ways. My son loves pasta and dinner times goes smoothly when I make this delicious pasta recipe.
Here are more delicious pasta you will enjoy:
Creamy Butter Garlic Shrimp Pasta
5 Ingredients Asparagus Pasta
Rigatoni Broccoli Casserole
Baked Pasta with Chicken Bolognese
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
- 1 medium size onion (finely chopped)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 lb ground chicken
- grated carrot -1 and ½ cups
- dried oregano -1 teaspoon
- sugar - 1 teaspoon
- lemon pepper seasoning - 1 teaspoon
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 and ½ cups tomato puree
- 3 cups penne or ziti pasta
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Place a big skillet at medium heat and drop the butter. Let it melt and then, add the garlic. Stir it around for a few seconds and scatter the chopped onion. Stir it around. Sprinkle the salt and pepper. Sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the ground chicken and mix it around. Sauté for 2 minutes. Scatter the grated carrot and mix it around.
- Sprinkle the dried herbs and seasoning (1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning and 1 teaspoon paprika). Mix it around.
- Pour the tomato puree, combine everything and cover the pan. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, boil the pasta to al dente. It should take about 8 minutes. Make sure to season the water with enough salt when boiling the pasta.
- By the time the pasta is boiled, the sauce should be ready. Mix the heavy cream to the chicken bolognese and mix it around. Strain the pasta and mix it to the sauce.
- You can serve the pasta right away with some Parmesan cheese on top. Or, you can follow the below directions to bake it.
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease an ovenproof dish with little butter or oil. Layer some of the pasta, add ½ cup cheese on top, layer rest of the pasta and add rest of the cheese.
- Bake it for 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle little finely chopped parsley on top and some grated Parmesan cheese.
- Serve warm.
Video
Nutrition
DISCLAIMER: This is an old post that I have updated with better photos and content.
Steph
Really good recipe! It was portrayed gleefully, written simply and I ate it mouthfully! Amazing!
Neil
Yum! You can't beat good chicken pasta recipe. But this chicken bolognese baked pasta looks so delicious I just want to reach through the screen with my fork. Great comfort food Kankana. Thanks for sharing!
Kankana Saxena
Great comfort food indeed! Thanks Neil 🙂
mjskitchen
oh my goodness - you're right! We were both had a pasta and cheese moment this week. 🙂 But they are quite different. It's been a long time since I've done a pasta bake with a tomato sauce. To be honest a pasta and heavy cheese dish a treat in this house because I don't do them often even though we love them, all that cheese doesn't like me. 🙂 However, I'm pinning this for a late fall dish. It's different than my usual and it looks absolutely delicious!
Kankana Saxena
I rarely make such cheese loaded meal. It's my occasional guilty pleasure LOL
Easyfoodsmith
I have a pasta lover at home and she will love it so much! I need to show her this 😀
Kankana Saxena
LOL That will make me very happy!
2pots2cook
Absolutely pinning and sharing this beauty 🙂
Kankana Saxena
YAY! Thanks so much 🙂
Kelly | Foodtasia
So drooling over this pasta dish, Kankana! The sauce looks amazing and that cheese!!
Kankana Saxena
I don't like like tomato loaded pasta unless it's bolognese sauce 🙂
Alida Ryder
That looks so delectable Kankana. The ultimate comfort food!
Laura | Tutti Dolci
I love a good baked pasta for busy weeknights. This looks delicious!
Anindya Sundar Basu
Will try this at home for sure for my son . Great pics once again
Janani Takesh Kumar
Looks soo lovely and yummy! Gorgeous clicks kankana! I'm in ❤️ With your recipes and clicks❤️❤️
angiesrecipes
Such a delicious and comforting meal. I love that you used chicken instead of red meat to make this classic sauce.
Rosa
That looks ever so scrumptious! Even though it is only 9am, my mouth is watering and I could eat a portion of your luscious dish.
Cheers,
Rosa