This easy 5-Ingredient Penne Pasta combines shredded rotisserie chicken, marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and Italian seasoning with penne pasta, or your favorite shaped pasta.
Why I love this recipe
This is an easy pasta recipe with a short ingredient list that the whole family loves. It’s great for an easy dinner on a busy weeknight and can be easily reheated the next day if you have leftovers. We love to serve it with a green salad on the side.
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Simple Ingredients
(amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post)
penne pasta
rotisserie chicken
marinara sauce
mozzarella cheese
Italian seasoning
Substitutions and Additions
You can use whole wheat pasta or any type of pasta instead of penne.
Instead of rotisserie chicken, you can use chicken breast, Italian sausage, ground beef, or any ground meat but you will need to cook it first in a large skillet.
You can substitute spaghetti sauce or vodka sauce for marinara sauce.
Some easy additions are sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, fresh basil, and garlic powder.
Equipment used for this recipe
How to make Five-Ingredient Baked Penne Pasta
Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 2 – Spray a 9×9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Step 3 – Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente (pasta should still be slightly firm or it will get too soft when baked.
Step 4 – Using a colander, drain the pasta water and pour the cooked pasta into the prepared 9×9 pan.
Step 5 – Add the shredded rotisserie chicken, marinara sauce, 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, and the Italian seasoning to the pan with the pasta. Stir gently until well incorporated.
Step 6 – Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.
Step 7 – Cover the pan with foil and bake for 15 minutes.
Step 8 – Remove foil and bake an additional 5 – 10 minutes, until hot and bubbly, and until the cheese on top is melted.
Step 9 – Garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Pro Tips
This recipe can easily be cut in half to make a date night meal.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3 – 4 days in the fridge. You can also freeze them.
Recipe FAQs
Try adding red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to spice up this fairly healthy pasta dish.
You may also enjoy
- Chicken Nugget Spaghetti
- Shrimp Alfredo with Angel Hair Pasta
- Crockpot Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole
- Chicken Broccoli Stuffing Casserole
5-Ingredient Penne Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces penne pasta (uncooked)
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
- 1 Tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- Optional – garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spray a 9×9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente (pasta should still be slightly firm or it will get too soft when baked.
- Using a colander, drain the pasta water and pour the cooked pasta into the prepared 9×9 pan.
- Add the shredded rotisserie chicken, marinara sauce, 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, and the Italian seasoning to the pan with the pasta. Stir gently until well incorporated.
- Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes, until hot and bubbly, and until the cheese on top is melted.
- Garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Notes
- This recipe can easily be cut in half to make a date night meal.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3 – 4 days in the fridge. You can also freeze them.
Nutrition
Hi and welcome. I’m Zona and I love creating recipes for easy dinners or desserts. Here you will find quick recipes, recipes that take minimal effort, or recipes that have few ingredients. Eat, drink, and enjoy!