About
Tilly has a particular pasta that she loves to make whenever she has company, or just whenever she's feeling like something homey and warm! This is that dish, Tilly's Dinner Bake: a tender bed of pasta with bold, vibrant, tomatoes, a creamy sauce, and bites of juicy, savory chicken. A blanket of melted mozzarella really helps take her dish to the next level and make it memorable! Tilly's Dinner Bake brings everyone to the table with a smile... a smile that will only grow bigger as they chow down!
Ingredients
- 5 cups fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 pounds, chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped, plus more, to taste, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped, plus more, to taste, for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 (16-ounce) box penne pasta, cooked, according to the package directions
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Directions
Step 1 -In a colander, toss together the tomatoes and 1 teaspoon of the salt.
Step 2 -Place the colander in the sink and let the mixture stand for 30 minutes.
Step 3 -Gently shake the colander to remove the excess moisture from the tomatoes.
Step 4 -Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 5 -Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 6 -In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Step 7 -Add the onion and the garlic to the oil and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
Step 8 -Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned but not quite cooked through, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 9 -Stir in the salted tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the basil, 1 tablespoon of the oregano, the pepper, and the remaining salt and cook until the tomatoes are heated through and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 3 minutes.
Step 10 -Transfer the skillet from the heat.
Step 11 -Stir in the cooked pasta and the heavy cream.
Step 12 -Pour the chicken-pasta mixture into the prepared pan.
Step 13 -Sprinkle the top of the bake with the mozzarella.
Step 14 -Loosely cover the baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.
Step 15 -Uncover the baking dish and bake until the casserole is hot and bubbly, and the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.
Step 16 -Let the casserole stand for 15 minutes.
Step 17 -Garnish with the extra basil and the extra oregano and serve.
