Chicken 'n' Spinach Pasta Bake

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 8 ounces uncooked rigatoni pasta or 8 ounces penne rigate or 8 ounces conchiglie or 8 ounces gemelli pasta or 8 ounces fusilli
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced button mushroom cap
• 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed (optional)
• 3 cups cubed cooked chicken breasts (we used a rotisserie chicken from the store)
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can italian-style diced tomatoes (we used muir glen)
• 8 ounces chive & onion cream cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 375ºf.
• 2 prepare rigatoni according to package directions, when ready drain and save about 1/4 cup of cooking water (in case you need it to thin out the sauce).
• 3 meanwhile, spread oil on bottom of an 11"x7" baking dish; add onion & mushrooms, if using, in a single layer.
• 4 bake for 15 minutes or just until tender.
• 5 transfer onion & mushrooms to a large bowl, and set aside.
• 6 drain chopped spinach well, pressing between layers of paper towels.
• 7 stir rigatoni or other pasta, spinach, chicken, and next 5 ingredients(starting with tomatoes through the peppers - if using the red pepper flakes) into onion & mushrooms in bowl.
• 8 spoon mixture into baking dish, and sprinkle evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese.
• 9 bake, covered, for 30 minutes; uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until bubbly.
• 10 serve with a nice salad and warm bread or bread sticks!
• 11 enjoy!