Baked pasta with rotisserie chicken and shiitake mushrooms is my personal hero. It’s quick prep and cook time (under 30 minutes!) makes it easy enough for a weeknight meal, but has enough pizazz to be the star of your next dinner party. And the flavour — oh my gosh! Don't get me started on that!
You can roast your own chicken breast for this recipe or just use store-bought rotisserie chicken. It's is an absolute life saver! Rotisserie chicken provide layers of flavour without the hassle of roasting an entire chicken, and whatever you don’t use in the recipe you’re preparing can be turned into a delicious and flavourful chicken salad. I use white meat in this pasta, but feel free to sub out dark meat if that’s what you prefer.
Now, let's get real. Chicken aside, the main flavour in this pasta comes from the mix of shiitake mushrooms, which are earthy and warm, and asiago cheese, which is a little nutty. The way they play off of each other — and mix with the sherry vinegar! — is absolute heaven. I don't even know how to describe it in words. I guess you will have to try it and see for yourself 😉
This is definitely a lighter pasta dish, as it has no heavy sauce dragging it down. But what sets it over the edge is the sprinkle of fresh basil right at the end. So so perfect for spring!
Recipe
Baked Pasta with Rotisserie Chicken and Shiitake Mushrooms
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
Need a pasta dish with layers of flavour in under 30 minutes? Look no further! Baked pasta with rotisserie chicken, earthy and warm shiitake mushrooms, and nutty asiago cheese is the perfect weeknight (or fancy dinner party) meal!
Ingredients
- ½ lb. dry pasta (I used fusilli pasta)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ lb. shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced
- 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ¼ tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 chicken breast, roasted (rotisserie chicken)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons grated asiago cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until just al dente, about 9 minutes. It will finish cooking in the oven. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil. Add shiitakes and cook, untouched, for 3 minutes. Add shallots (and another 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil if your pan is dry), then stir, season with salt and pepper, and cook until shallots are soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Meanwhile, shred roasted chicken breast with your hands or by using two forks and pulling the meat in opposite directions. Add chicken to mushrooms and shallots. Pour in heavy cream and sherry vinegar, then stir to combine.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, chicken and mushrooms, and ¼ cup of asiago cheese. Mix thoroughly, then pour into a greased 2 quart (or other small) baking dish. Top pasta with remaining 2 tablespoons asiago and the grated Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, then top with fresh basil leaves and serve immediately.
Notes
I use white meat in this pasta, but feel free to substitute it with dark meat if that’s what you prefer.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: Italian
Shirley E. says
Perfect meal for a rainy day. Rehydrated dried shitake mushrooms which added a delicious layer of flavor. Thank you for sharing.
Peter Shaw says
I can only find Asiago online in the UK and its delivered cost is far too high. Is there a substitute I can use?
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Hi Peter, you can use Parmesan cheese instead.
Food in Train says
Creamy & tasty pasta with chicken, awesome dish.
Thanks for such a yummy dish. I just loved it 🙂