Baked Pesto Chicken Mac Cheese (Printable version)

Comforting baked dish featuring pesto chicken, creamy macaroni, and a golden cheese topping, ideal for family meals.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz elbow macaroni

→ Chicken

02 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
06 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs

→ Pesto

07 - 1/2 cup basil pesto

→ Sauce

08 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
10 - 3 cups whole milk
11 - 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
12 - 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
13 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
14 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
15 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Topping

16 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
17 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
18 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add elbow macaroni and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken pieces and season with salt, pepper, and Italian herbs. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until golden and cooked through. Remove from heat and toss with basil pesto until evenly coated.
04 - In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in milk while stirring continuously until thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat and stir in mozzarella, Parmesan, cheddar, and garlic powder. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
06 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked macaroni, cheese sauce, and pesto chicken. Gently fold ingredients together until evenly coated.
07 - Pour the combined mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
08 - In a small bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and 1 tablespoon olive oil until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole surface.
09 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the casserole is bubbling at the edges and the topping is golden brown.
10 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the casserole to set slightly for cleaner portions.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pesto chicken keeps things from feeling heavy—basil cuts through all that cream in a way that makes you want another forkful.
  • It's genuinely faster than ordering takeout, and somehow tastes more thoughtful than anything delivered in a box.
02 -
  • Undercooking the pasta by just a minute is the difference between creamy and mushy—the oven continues cooking it gently, so resist the urge to cook it all the way through.
  • Don't combine the hot cheese sauce with the cold pesto chicken immediately; the pesto can separate from too much heat, so let the sauce cool for a minute first.
03 -
  • If your pesto is particularly thin or wet, toss it with the chicken and let it sit for a few minutes so some of that moisture evaporates before you combine everything with the pasta.
  • Watch the breadcrumb topping in the last few minutes of baking—panko browns fast, and you want golden, not scorched.
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