CHICKEN-PESTO PASTA BAKE

Chicken-Pesto Pasta Bake image

Celebrate your next special event by making an Italian inspired Chicken-Pesto Pasta Bake. Chicken-Pesto Pasta Bake is a great way to feed up to six people.

Provided by My Food and Family

Categories Home

Time 1h

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

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Ingredients

1 jar (8.1 oz.) CLASSICO Traditional Basil Pesto Sauce and Spread, divided
1 jar (15 oz.) CLASSICO Light Creamy Alfredo Pasta Sauce
1-1/2 cups milk
1-1/2 cups KRAFT Shredded Italian* Five Cheese with a TOUCH OF PHILADELPHIA
4 cups penne pasta, uncooked
1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 red pepper, chopped
4 cups tightly packed baby spinach leaves
2/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Steps:

Heat oven to 350°F.
Remove 2 Tbsp. oil from top of pesto sauce in jar; reserve for later use. Spoon pesto and remaining pesto oil into large bowl. Add pasta sauce and milk; mix well. Stir in shredded cheese.
Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt.
Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. of the reserved pesto oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 min. or until no longer pink. Add peppers; cook and stir 2 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender. Add spinach; cook and stir 1 to 2 min. or just until spinach begins to wilt. Remove from heat.
Drain pasta. Add to chicken mixture along with the pasta sauce mixture; mix lightly. Spoon into 13x9-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray.
Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan and remaining reserved pesto oil; sprinkle over pasta mixture.
Bake 40 min. or until heated through.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 720, Fat 29 g, SaturatedFat 11 g, TransFat 0 g, Cholesterol 100 mg, Sodium 1210 mg, Carbohydrate 69 g, Fiber 5 g, Sugar 8 g, Protein 43 g