Include in Print View:

Easy Roast Chicken Pasta Bake with Tomato and Green Olives

Pasta bake ready to eat
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Rest Time 5 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Cooking Method:
Cuisine: ,
Courses: , ,
Difficulty: Beginner
Cooking Temp: 200  C
Servings: 4
Best Season: Suitable throughout the year
Description

This chicken pasta bake with tomatoes and olives is a tasty and easy family dinner made with supermarket roast chicken, diced tomatoes, green olives, brown onion, garlic, herbs and plenty of melted cheese. Warm, hearty and full of flavour, it’s a great way to make a roast chicken go further.

It’s a variation on my brother Jeff’s Quick Chicken Pasta recipe, which was all about simple ingredients and beautiful tomato flavour. This version takes those same lovely flavours and turns them into a cosy pasta bake with a cheesy golden top. It’s a budget-friendly option too, as it uses only part of the roast chicken, leaving the rest for other meals - like chicken and salad/veg, open grills, or sandwiches. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples. It’s a very handy recipe to have up your sleeve for busy nights.

Ingredients
  • 300 g rigatoni pasta
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small brown onion, finely diced
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed or finely diced
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 400 g can diced tomatoes
  • 250-300 g cooked roast chicken, chopped
  • 120 g green olives, pitted and halved, approx 10-12 olives
  • 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1 tsp thyme leaves (or oregano)
  • 1-2 cups grated mozzarella and/or tasty cheese, depending how cheesy you like it
  • 2-3 tbsp grated parmesan
  • 1 tbsp salt, for the pasta water
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2-1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
Method
  1. 1
    Preheat the oven to 200°C fan-forced.
  2. 2
    Adding rigatoni to boiling water.

    Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add 1 tbsp salt, then cook the rigatoni pasta for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions. See Tips 1, 3 and 4. 

  3. 3

    Heat the 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.

  4. 4
    Simmer onion until tender

    Add the diced brown onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until softened.

  5. 5

    Stir in the 2–3 diced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the 1/2–1 tsp chilli flakes here too if using.

  6. 6
    Adding white wine to onion and garlic

    Pour in 1/4 cup white wine, if using, and let it bubble for 1–2 minutes until slightly reduced.

  7. 7
    Adding tomato paste to the onion, garlic and white wine

    Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste.

  8. 8
    Adding olives to the pasta bake sauce

    Add 400 g diced tomatoes and 120 g sliced green olives. Simmer for 5–8 minutes until slightly thickened.

  9. 9
    Adding thyme to the pasta bake

    Stir through the 300 g chopped roast chicken, 1 tbsp parsley and 1 tsp thyme.  Season with 1/2 tsp black pepper, and only a little extra salt if needed. This is also a good time for a taste test. See Tips 2 and 5.

  10. 10
    Adding rigatoni to the pasta sauce

    Strain the pasta, then add the cooked rigatoni pasta to the sauce and stir to combine.

  11. 11
    Putting pasta bake into the oven proof dish ready to bakeSpoon the mixture into a baking dish.
  12. 12
    Adding cheese to the top of the pasta bake

    Scatter over 1–2 cups of grated mozzarella and/or tasty cheese, then finish with the parmesan.

  13. 13
    Pasta bake in the ovenBake for 15–20 minutes, until bubbling and golden on top.
  14. 14
    Pasta bake on the cooling rack

    Let the pasta bake rest for 5 minutes before serving so it settles and holds together better.

  15. 15
    Maria with a bowl of pasta bake

    Easy and yummy. Enjoy!

  16. 16
    Pasta bake is freezer friendly - happy future you

    Freeze the leftovers for an easy future meal - happy future you!

  17. 17
    Watch How To Make Roast Chicken Pasta Bake with Tomato and Olives

    A quick, easy and yummy dinner. 
    For more Everyday Foodie Recipes subscribe to receive the latest updates.

Keywords: chicken pasta bake, roast chicken pasta bake, chicken tomato olive pasta bake, easy family dinner, leftover roast chicken recipe, budget-friendly dinner, supermarket roast chicken

Tips

  1. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the packet directions, as it will continue cooking in the oven.
  2. Go easy on the salt because the roast chicken, olives, parmesan and cheese already add plenty of savoury flavour.
  3. Rigatoni works especially well because those little tube-shaped pieces hold the sauce beautifully.
  4. If you can’t make the pasta and sauce at the same time, it’s better to have the sauce ready first rather than leaving the cooked pasta sitting and waiting. Cooked pasta can stick together and lose its best texture if it sits too long before being mixed through the sauce.
  5. Add the chicken towards the end of making the sauce so it warms through gently and doesn’t dry out or fall apart.
Read it online: https://everydayfoodierecipes.com/recipe/roast-chicken-pasta-bake-with-tomatoes-and-olives/
Maria photo
Maria Bennett