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Chicken Pesto Rigatoni
Rachel Kim

Chicken Pesto Rigatoni

Pesto carries the basil, garlic and oil, so this green-sauced rigatoni needs very little help. Milk softens pesto's sharp edge without washing it out. Keep the chicken pieces small and submerged; big cubes poking above the liquid can dry before the pasta finishes.
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Prep Time 12 minutes
Cook Time 58 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz dry rigatoni pasta
  • 1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 3/4 cup basil pesto
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F and coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Combine the rigatoni, chicken, pesto, broth, milk, salt and black pepper in the dish.
  3. Stir thoroughly, press the pasta and chicken beneath the liquid and seal tightly with foil.
  4. Bake for 42 minutes, then stir and check that the chicken reaches 165°F and the center pasta is tender.
  5. Add 1/4 cup hot water, reseal and bake for 5 to 10 minutes if the rigatoni still has a hard center.
  6. Cover with mozzarella, bake uncovered for 6 minutes and rest for 8 minutes before serving.