Creamy and cheesy Baked Ziti With Chicken is a deeply savory and totally indulgent meal the whole family will go crazy for! We're channeling the flavors of a good chicken cheesesteak into this gooey pasta dish by combining perfectly cooked pasta with sautéed peppers and onions, seasoned chicken, and plenty of melty provolone cheese.
PREP: Spray a 9x13-inch (33x23-cm) baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside for now. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
For the Pasta:
BOIL: Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, generously salt the water (I add 2 teaspoons salt) followed by the pasta. Cook the pasta according to package instructions MINUS 1 minute. Strain the pasta through a colander and dump into prepared 9x13-inch pan.
For the Peppers and Onions:
SAUTÉ: Meanwhile, in a large skillet add the butter and heat to medium-high. Once melted, add the onion, red pepper, green pepper, plus salt & pepper to taste (I add 1/2 teaspoon of each). Sauté the veggies, stirring occasionally until they are softened and golden brown, about 7-10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the red wine vinegar. Pour the peppers and onions right on top of the cooked pasta.
For the Chicken:
PREP CHICKEN: Cut the two chicken breasts in half widthwise to make four thinner filets. Use a meat mallet/frying pan/your fist to give each piece a quick pound (don't flatten chicken; we just want all the pieces fairly even in width). Season both sides. (I add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt & pepper to each side and divide the 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning evenly between all pieces on all sides.)
COOK CHICKEN: Meanwhile, add oil to the same skillet used for peppers and onions. Heat to high heat. Add the chicken pieces in one layer. Cook for about 3-4 minutes per side or until cooked through (registers 160 degrees/juices run clear); remove to a plate. Tent with foil. Let rest for 5 mins then chop and add right on top of the peppers/onions. Don't rinse out pan!
For the Provolone sauce:
SAUCE: Add the same pan back to medium heat and add in the butter. Let it melt and then whisk in the flour. Keep whisking for one minute, whisking up any browned bits left behind by the chicken. Very gradually, while whisking constantly and vigorously, add the milk. Cook until nicely thickened, about 5 minutes. Season sauce to taste (I add 1/2 tsp each of salt & pepper). Remove from heat and use a wooden spoon to gently stir in the Provolone cheese until melted (doesn't have to be perfectly melted -- we're baking it!). Pour sauce over the chicken, peppers, and pasta. Gently stir everything until well coated in the sauce and nicely combined.
ASSEMBLE: Smooth top in an even layer then top with provolone slices or Parmesan cheese (Note 1). Place the dish into the oven, uncovered. Bake it for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is nicely melted and golden brown. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh chopped parsley if using. Enjoy promptly!
Video
Notes
Note 1: Provolone: Use a package of ultra-thin sliced Provolone cheese. Take out 6 slices for topping and then dice up the rest into small pieces for the cheese sauce (you should get about 1 cup). If you aren't using the ultra-thin sliced cheese slices, the Provolone is over powering as the topping (it's a bit too much cheese!). Instead I'd recommend adding about 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (grate a block of Parmesan cheese on a microplane or the small holes of the grater for ultra-fine cheese shreds or use finely grated Parmesan cheese.)