Spinach-Chicken Casserole with Cavatappi
 
MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound cavatappi pasta
  • 3 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2¼ cups shredded fontina cheese, divided
  • ¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2¾ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and lightly pressed to remove some excess liquid
  • ⅓ cup Italian-style panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • Garnish: fresh oregano leaves, crushed red pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a 2- to 2½-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
  3. Stir in pasta, cream, and broth; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat. Stir in 1¼ cups fontina, ¼ cup Parmesan, lemon juice, oregano, rosemary, salt, and crushed red pepper until well combined. Stir in chicken and spinach.
  5. Spoon into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup fontina. In a small bowl, stir together bread crumbs, melted butter, and remaining ½ cup Parmesan. Sprinkle panko mixture over top of pasta mixture.
  6. Bake until topping is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with oregano and pepper if desired.
Recipe by Southern Lady Magazine at https://southernladymagazine.com/spinach-chicken-casserole-with-cavatappi/