5-Ingredient Penne Pasta

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

• 9×9 casserole dish
• large saucepan
• colander
• foil

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

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