Quick and easy dinner.
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 can whole peeled tomatoes 28 oz.
- 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 12 ounces pasta i use shells
- 1 pound chicken breasts boneless and skinless cooked and cut into bite sized pieces
- Carbohydrate 26.2851913646839 g
- Cholesterol 85.1214246371627 mg
- Fat 7.89177560019693 g
- Fiber 0.35248999823874 g
- Protein 27.6876486298646 g
- Saturated Fat 3.89688735918158 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (247g)
- Sodium 463.742669262239 mg
- Sugar 25.9327013664451 g
- Trans Fat 0.839392973366553 g
- Calories 292 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
- Add the tomatoes to the bowl of your food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped, about 10 pulses. Set an oven-safe 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, the water, 1 cup of the chicken broth, and the pasta to the pan, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a vigorous simmer, then cover the pan and continue simmering (you may need to reduce the heat slightly) until the pasta is tender, about 16-18 minutes. Stir the pasta frequently as it cooks. If you don't have an oven-safe skillet, just use a regular skillet and transfer to an oven-safe dish when it's ready to go into the oven.
- Once tender, remove the cover and stir in 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the pepper, and the chicken. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary. If the mixture seems dry, mix in as much of the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth as needed to loosen it up (I didn’t add any of it). {Note: if you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the mixture to a baking dish at this point.} Sprinkle the top evenly with the mozzarella cheese and the remaining Parmesan cheese. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and bubbles around the edges. Garnish with the basil then serve.
Starch gelatinization during stovetop simmering dictates whether baked pasta retains structure or turns mushy. Cooking the dry shells directly in tomato liquid and broth for 16 to 18 minutes allows the starches to hydrate uniformly without washing away surface dextrins that anchor the sauce. Garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper bloom in olive oil for precisely 60 seconds over medium-high heat, driving fat-soluble capsaicin and essential oils into the lipid phase before aqueous ingredients dilute the pan. Parmesan contributes umami through concentrated glutamate bonds, while mozzarella supplies casein proteins that melt into a cohesive network at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Because this dish relies on a high oven temperature of 475 degrees Fahrenheit to brown the dairy quickly, managing moisture prevents the chicken from drying out during the final melt.
- Freeze unbaked assemblies wrapped tightly in heavy-duty aluminum foil for up to 3 months without adding the fresh basil garnish.
- Thaw frozen casseroles completely in the refrigerator for 24 hours prior to baking to ensure even heat penetration to the center.
- Add 2 tablespoons of water or chicken broth before reheating individual portions in a 350-degree oven to compensate for starch retrogradation.
- Substitute pecorino romano at a 1:1 ratio if sharper salt profiles are desired over aged parmesan.
- Store leftovers in an airtight glass container for up to 4 days, noting that texture softens progressively past the 72-hour mark.
Proper moisture control separates a cohesive pasta bake from a dry casserole. Applying these storage parameters preserves structural integrity upon reheating.
