If you saw my appliances in the new house, you would cry.
I cried.
I can handle ugly. I can handle outdated. But honestly, I’ve never seen a kitchen like this before in my life. We’ve reached a whole new level of vintage, it’s called ancient. There was actually a moment in time where I contemplated contacting the manufacturer, hoping that perhaps they would send me something new and shiny out of sympathy. But that idea came and went. I just know, that the minute I go to cook something it’s going to be a complete disaster. My oven door is held up by a hook, OK?! Maybe I will show you a pic (I’m still in denial).
Since we have a couple days before moving in, I decided to prep a bunch of meals to take over. This is one of them. The idea is to just reheat and serve, hassle free. If my prediction comes true and our stove bursts into flames, at least I was prepared! Better to be well fed than stuck with greasy takeout.
So here it is, a twist on this original recipe morphed into a wholesome pasta bake. It’s packed with Mediterranean flavors that are nutrient dense and satisfying. I’ve made a couple of tweaks along the way, but you’ll recognize the key players including chicken, artichokes, white beans, and fresh herbs. This might look like a total food-coma meal, but the combination of ingredients gives you the energy you need to tackle all kinds of projects. And you won’t need a nap afterwards…
Now, this is what I want to eat after painting a house!
Tips:
- I use organic boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe because they stay moist when baked. You can substitute with chicken breast as well (just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t overcook).
- You will need a large, ovenproof casserole dish. Mine was a 9-inch, 2 quart, oval shaped dish. Everything fit perfectly.
- I like to buy marinated artichokes hearts from my Italian deli. You can also find them in most grocery stores.
mediterranean chicken pasta bake
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Yield: 4
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces*
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2–3 tbsp. marinade from artichoke hearts
- 4 sprigs of fresh oregano, leaves stripped
- olive oil
- red wine vinegar
Bake
- 1 lb. whole wheat fusili pasta
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, whole
- 1/2 c. marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
- 1/2 c. white beans, rinsed + drained (I use northern white beans)
- ½ c. Kalamata olives, roughly chopped
- 1/3 c. parsley and basil leaves, roughly chopped
- 2–3 handfuls of part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
- salt + pepper
Garnish
- parsley + basil leaves
*You can substitute with chicken breast (just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t overcook).
Instructions
- For the chicken marinade, drain the artichoke hearts reserving the juice. To a large bowl, add the chicken, artichoke juice, garlic, and oregano leaves. Drizzle with olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar, and mix well to coat. Marinate for at least 1 hour, maximum 3 hours.
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 425 F.
- To a casserole dish, add the sliced onions and tomatoes. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and the tomatoes begin to burst, about 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet warm 1 tsp. of olive oil over moderate heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown the chicken on both sides. It will be slightly undercooked.
- Remove the casserole dish from the oven. Add the cooked pasta, chicken, artichoke hearts, beans, olives, and chopped herbs. Stir to combine.
- Top with grated cheese and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes until the cheese is brown and bubbling. If you like it really brown, pop it under the broiler for a minute.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh herbs right before serving.
Comments
KayT says
I like the flavors here. It was good, but too much pasta for me. Next time I make it, I will use only 8 ounces.
Liz says
Hi!
This looks delish. I’m working on stocking our freezer before baby comes in a few weeks. Do you think this would freeze well, and if so – how do you suggest preparing accordingly?
Thanks!
Liz
Marilyn says
Can you use feta cheese instead of mozzarella in this recipe?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Marilyn! Sure can. Feta would be delicious.
Angelina says
This sounds tasty, & something I’m sure my family would enjoy. Some of us would really appreciate Nutr. Info., w/o (ourselves) having to plug a recipe into a website.
Emilie Raffa says
Thanks for the feedback, Angelina :)
cathy beeson says
great recipe
Ashley says
I’ve never cooked with artichoke before, so I’m very unfamiliar with what your using as a marinade. How are you doing this? Can you explain the process of this sentence?
“For the chicken marinade, drain the artichoke hearts reserving the juice. To a large bowl”
Thank you!
Emilie says
Hi Ashley,
For this recipe, I use marinated artichoke hearts which usually contain garlic, vinegar and spices. They come in a jar. For the instructions, just drain the artichoke hearts reserving the marinade or ‘juice’ that it comes in, to then create the marinade for the chicken. Hope that makes sense!
Megan says
Hi I am so excited to make this! But what is the artichoke marinade? The stuff I threat from pickled artichoke hearts?
Megan
Emilie says
Hi Megan,
Great! The recipe calls for marinated artichoke hearts, so the marinade in the recipe is the ‘juice’ in the jar. Hope this helps! Enjoy!
Megan says
It did! Thank you so much!
Pat says
I tried to pin a few recipes of yours but Pinterest said they may lead to Spam. Any idea how to fix this? I don’t get spam when I come to your site. Very frustrating.
Regards
Pat
Emilie says
Hi there! Thanks so much for bringing this to my attention. You know, all it takes is one person to mark you as spam and then it ruins your account. Very frustrating indeed. I put in a message to Pinterest’s support staff, so hopeful I’ll have an answer for you shortly. :)
Onawa says
What’s worse than “ancient” appliances? No appliances at all or appliances that don’t work and you can’t afford to fix or replace them.
Rivka says
For those of you who made this recipe as written, about how many serving did it make (about one cup per serving)? It says it serves 4, but I’m using this recipe for a class cooking project, and when I tried calculating the yield, I got a little over 15 servings. Thanks!
Emilie says
Hi there,
This recipe is intended to feed 4 (hungry) people for dinner. It’s not measured as 1 cup per serving. That’s probably why your calculations yielded 15 servings. I hope this helps!
Mel @ The cook's notebook says
hmmm. I was all set to make Pad Thai for dinner, but this is now tempting me. Might have to make it on the weekend.
Deztinie says
This recipe sounds amazing and your pictures look wonderful! I’m lactose intolerant so I couldn’t use mozzarella with this recipe but I could substitute with feta or goat’s cheese. Have you tried baking with either?
Emilie says
Hi there! Thank you so much!!! You can absolutely substitute with feta or goat cheese. I’ve done both actually, with excellent results. I would recommend adding the cheese right before serving (as opposed to baking it with the chicken) so that it holds its shape and doesn’t muddle the dish. Other than that, you should be good to go. Let me know it turns out! Enjoy :)
laurasmess says
Oh you poor love! I thought my oven was terrible (very old, tiny gas stove with cracks where the heat leaks out) but at least the door doesn’t require a hook! :( :( I do hope that you get some upgrades. At least this beautiful pasta bake would have provided some much-needed comfort and energy for the work that followed!! Hope that things improve in your new dwelling! xx
Abbie @ Needs Salt says
Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe! This pasta bake looks totally incredible. Love it.
Pinning!
Emilie says
Welcome Abbie! Thank you so much! It’s a great meal that you can prepare ahead of time, and if you’re only feeding a couple of people, the leftovers are fun to pick at the next day too (and it gives you the night off from cooking again- woo hoo!). Enjoy :)
Pam Green says
I cannot wait to make this, maybe this week! It looks too good to wait for!!
★★★★★
Emilie says
Hi Pam! If you do, let me know! I think you will like it. Welcome back from your trip to NY :) xx
celia says
Ooh, that looks delicious, Em! And don’t worry about old appliances – because it means you’ll have to get new ones sooner rather than later! There’s nothing worse than ending up with slightly out of date crappy appliances that still work too well to justify being replaced! :D
★★★★★
Emilie says
Oh, I don’t need to worry about that! They barely function as it is!! But I totally know what you mean. My parents have a dishwasher that’s over 20 years old and it works better than some of the ‘latest & greatest’ models. I don’t think they’ll ever get rid of that one until it goes on its own, willingly. But mine are definitely another story… hopefully I will find some good sales. I’m actually enjoying the researching process :) xx
Sandra says
I want this dish after doing anything!!! I’m sorry to hear about your kitchen…I’d probably cry with you. There is nothing more important then a woman’s oven…ok maybe a few other things but still…oven is top on the list. Moving is stressful enough, but at least you have the forethought to plan some already made meals. Hope your oven crashes and burns….that way you can get a new one ;) If not you can always find a way to “break it” (I swear my husband gives me a look every time I say something is broken)
Emilie says
Tell me about it… my kitchen is like my office! I too hope my oven crashes (with the stove and fridge…) If it won’t kick on its own, I will send the boys after them. They are very successful at destruction ;) PS- you must tell me all about this freezer chest you got on sale… xx
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love a good pasta bake, this looks so tasty and nourishing – just what you need during a move!
Emilie says
Yes, this and wine… and chocolate ;)
Christen says
May try this with rice vs pasta!
hmmmm
Emilie says
Hi Christen! That’s an excellent idea. Rice, quinoa, and cracked wheat are all excellent substitutions. I’ve even made it with orzo and couscous as well. It’s a very flexible recipe to make your own. I hope you enjoy and thanks for stopping by!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
My my my this looks absolutely fantastic!! I am seriously in love!
Emilie says
I will trade you for some dessert. We are in love with you too! ;)
Laney (Ortensia Blu) says
I adore your original recipe, Emilie and have made it several times, so can’t wait to try this one! Love the pasta!
Emilie says
Thank you Laney! You will definitely like this version- so easy to make. You are such a fabulous cook :)
Liz says
A nice recipe. Thank you.
Emilie says
You are quite welcome! Enjoy :)