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CHICKEN PARMESAN BAKED ZITI

CHICKEN PARMESAN BAKED ZITI
To make the baked ziti, I cooked up a batch of penne ziti and then tossed it with the sauce. Then for the “chicken parmesan” twist, I added in some shredded cooked chicken, chopped fresh basil, and lots of grated Parmesan.
I know that traditional chicken parmesan requires you to bread and pan-fry the chicken. But I thought the dish already had plenty of flavor and texture without adding the extra fat/calories. And hey, true to the name, we’re including lots of chicken and lots of Parmesan. So I’m sticking with it.
This Chicken Parmesan Baked Ziti only requires 6 ingredients and is totally delicious and comforting.

INGREDIENTS:
  • 12 ounces DeLallo penne ziti (or any pasta shape)
  • 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken (about 2 small chicken breasts)
  • 1 (25 ounce) jar DeLallo Pomodoro Fresco Tomato-Basil Sauce (pasta sauce)
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (I used 2% low fat)
  • 1/3 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Cook the pasta al dente in a large stockpot of generously-salted boiling according to package instructions. Drain. Return pasta to the stockpot and add chicken and tomato sauce. Gently toss to combine until the pasta is evenly coated.
  3. Pour half of the pasta into a greased 11×7-inch or 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, half of the Parmesan cheese and half of the basil. Layer the remaining half of the pasta evenly on top. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.
  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and just barely starts to turn golden. Remove and sprinkle immediately with the remaining Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Serve warm.