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Baked Ziti with Chicken & Basil

This delicious Baked Ziti Casserole is the perfect hearty hot meal to serve up on a cold winter night. Serve with a simple green salad and some garlic bread on the side for a complete meal.
For an added crunch, top with some toasted bread crumbs or crunchy bacon bits. For a vegetarian option, feel free to substitute the chicken for extra vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, or fried eggplant. Add some of last night’s leftovers in the mix, and it will taste great.
The casserole comes together quickly, and can provide a large number of meals, depending on how hungry you are.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups dry ziti pasta
  • 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into large bite-sized cubes
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp freshly-ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp salted butter
  • 1 white onion small dice
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 28 oz (1 can) crushed tomatoes with their juices
  • 3 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 8 oz white button mushrooms cleaned and sliced 1/8” thick
  • 2 Tbsp salted butter
  • 1 cup fresh basil, finely sliced with some extra fresh basil reserved as garnish
  • ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375F.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stove.
  • Once the salted water is boiling, add the dried ziti pasta to the pot and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente and almost completely tender.
  • Drain the cooked pasta and set aside.
  • In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
  • Salt the chicken pieces, and add some freshly-ground black pepper.
  • When the oil is hot, add the cubed chicken.
  • Cook on high heat for 4-5 minutes, until chicken is almost completely cooked through.
  • Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate to rest.
  • Add the diced onion to the skillet and reduce heat to medium-low.
  • Cook the onion on medium-low heat for 8-15 minutes, stirring frequently, cooking until the onion is completely softened.
  • Add the tomato paste and cook on medium heat for an additional 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes and red pepper flakes to the pan and bring to a simmer.
  • Simmer for 30 minutes.
  • In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter.
  • Add the white button mushrooms and cook for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned.
  • In a large bowl, combine the cooked ziti, cooked chicken, tomato sauce, fresh basil, cooked mushrooms, cheddar cheese, and mozzarella cheese.
  • *Save a small amount of the finely-sliced fresh basil for garnishing your plates at the end.
  • Stir the mixture until combined.
  • Grease a deep-sided 9x13 inch baking dish.
  • Pour the ziti mixture into the baking dish.
  • Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese and cheddar cheese over the top.
  • Bake at 375F for about 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
  • Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
  • Garnish with the remaining fresh basil.

Notes

These leftovers are delicious when reheated for 30-40 minutes in an oven at 350F in an oven-safe casserole dish with a lid, or covered aluminum foil.
Instead of a tomato-based sauced, this recipe works equally well when served with a cheesy bechamel sauce.