Cheesy and comforting, our Spinach-Chicken Casserole with Cavatappi pasta hits the spot no matter the season.
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
- Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a 2- to 2½-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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