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Church Lunch Bake offers comforting flavors and easy preparation, perfect for gatherings.
Church Lunch Bake combines the comforts of home with a touch of elegance, perfect for gatherings or a cozy meal. The aroma is an intoxicating blend of herbs and melted mozzarella, promising cheesy delight with every bite. The tender chicken mingles with pasta, spinach, and a rich tomato basil sauce, creating a satisfying dish that’s as joyful to inhale as it is to eat. Those slightly tangy notes from Neufchâtel cheese meld beautifully with the rest of the ingredients, making it hard to stop at just one serving.
Preparing this dish is refreshingly simple, great for cooks of all levels. The ingredients do most of the work, allowing you to focus on easy steps before popping it into the oven. Even the most amateur cook will find that it comes together seamlessly, delivering big on flavor without the stress. Let it bake until your kitchen smells like an Italian bistro and your heart is happy. Share it at your next lunch, and watch as friends and family dig in with gusto, savoring each savory, cheesy layer.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups penne pasta
- 1 (9-ounce) package fresh spinach leaves
- 1 pound chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes drained
- 1 3/4 cups tomato and basil pasta sauce
- 2 ounces Neufchâtel cheese cubed
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese grated
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Cook the pasta in a large saucepan until al dente, according to the package directions. Do not salt the water.
- In the last minute of cooking the pasta, add the spinach to cook.
- In a large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium-high heat, add the chicken and the basil and cook for 3 minutes.
- Stir the tomatoes and the pasta sauce into the chicken mixture.
- Bring the chicken mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low.
- Simmer the chicken mixture, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through at 165 degrees F, about 3 minutes.
- Add the Neufchâtel cheese and cook until completely melted, about 1-2 minutes.
- Drain the pasta mixture and return it to the saucepan.
- Stir the chicken mixture and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese into the pasta mixture.
- Spoon the pasta mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
- Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes.
- Top the bake with the remaining mozzarella and the parmesan cheese.
- Bake until the mozzarella is melted, about 3 minutes.
- Serve.
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