If you love the rich and creamy flavors of a classic carbonara but want something hearty enough to feed the whole family, this gluten free chicken carbonara pasta bake is exactly what you need. Tender chunks of chicken, crispy bacon, sweet peas, and gluten free penne pasta are tossed in the most luxurious cream, egg, and three cheese sauce made with ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan and then baked in a 9x13 dish until perfectly set with a golden crispy breadcrumb and parmesan topping.
It has all the indulgent flavors of traditional carbonara in an easy baked pasta format that is completely gluten free from start to finish.
This easy gluten free pasta bake comes together with simple steps that anyone can follow and is ready to go into the oven in about 30 minutes.
It is the kind of hearty and satisfying gluten free dinner recipe that the whole family will love and it is impressive enough to serve to guests without requiring a lot of extra effort.
Perfect for busy weeknights when you need a filling meal on the table fast, holiday gatherings where you need a crowd pleasing dish everyone can enjoy, or any time you are craving the ultimate gluten free comfort food dinner.
Leftovers reheat beautifully which makes it a great option for meal prep too.
If you are looking for more chicken meal recipes try my Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan Pasta Casserole, my Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie Casserole, my Gluten Free Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake or my Gluten Free Instant Pot Chicken & Dumplings.
You can find all my meal recipes here: Gluten Free Meal Recipes
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Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Cook your gluten free pasta per the instructions on the package.
While the pasta is cooking, cut your chicken breast into bite size chunks and cook the chicken in olive oil until lightly browned and cooked through. Add the garlic, peas and bacon. Heat through 2-3 minutes.
Whisk together the cream, eggs, ricotta cheese. Add the shredded mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
When your gluten free pasta is done, strain it from the water and add the cooked noodles back to the pot.
Add the cheese mixture and chicken mixture to the pot with the noodles. Stir to combine.
Pour the noodle mixture into your 9x13 baking dish. Top with a the gluten free bread crumbs and ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. If you would like the top to be crunchy turn your oven to broil and carefully broil the top until it's lightly browned. Watch this process carefully as the top will brown quickly.
Serve immediately.
Supplies
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Gluten Free Chicken Carbonara Pasta Bake
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This easy gluten free chicken carbonara pasta bake is the ultimate comfort food dinner! Tender chicken, crispy bacon, sweet peas, and gluten free penne pasta are tossed in a rich and creamy three cheese sauce made with ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan and baked until perfectly set with a golden crispy breadcrumb topping. A hearty and crowd pleasing gluten free baked pasta recipe the whole family will love!
Ingredients
- 12 ounce package Gluten Free Penne Pasta, cooked
- 1 pound Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breast, cubed and cooked
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 cup Frozen Peas
- 8 slices Bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 3 large Eggs
- 8 ounces Ricotta Cheese
- 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- ¾ cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated (divided)
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- ½ cup Gluten Free Bread Crumbs
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Cook your gluten free pasta per the instructions on the package.
While the pasta is cooking, cut your chicken breast into bite size chunks and cook the chicken in olive oil until lightly browned and cooked through. Add the garlic, peas and bacon. Heat through 2-3 minutes.
Whisk together the cream, eggs, ricotta cheese. Add the shredded mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
When your gluten free pasta is done, strain it from the water and add the cooked noodles back to the pot.
Add the cheese mixture and chicken mixture to the pot with the noodles. Stir to combine.
Pour the noodle mixture into your 9x13 baking dish. Top with a the gluten free bread crumbs and ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. If you would like the top to be crunchy turn your oven to broil and carefully broil the top until it's lightly browned. Watch this process carefully as the top will brown quickly.
Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Meals, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
If you make this Gluten Free Chicken Carbonara Pasta Bake I would love to hear what you think! Leave a star rating and a comment below and let me know what you served it with.
Don't forget to save this recipe to your Pinterest boards so you can find it again on busy weeknights!
Storage
Store leftover gluten free chicken carbonara pasta bake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave in a covered bowl with a splash of water or cream stirred in to help loosen the sauce and prevent it from drying out.
You can also reheat the whole dish covered with foil in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes until warmed through. Because this recipe contains eggs and dairy it is important to refrigerate leftovers promptly after serving and not leave the dish sitting out at room temperature for more than two hours.
This pasta bake can be frozen but the creamy egg based sauce may change in texture slightly once thawed. If freezing store in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Top Tip
Do not skip the broiling step at the end if you want a truly impressive golden and crispy topping. The 15 to 20 minutes of baking at 350 degrees sets the carbonara sauce and cooks everything through but it will not give you that deeply golden and crunchy breadcrumb and parmesan crust on top. Just a few minutes under the broiler transforms the topping completely.
The key is to watch it very carefully because the parmesan and breadcrumbs can go from perfectly golden to burnt in less than a minute under high broiler heat. Stay right at the oven and pull it out the moment the top is golden and bubbling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can assemble the entire pasta bake up to 24 hours ahead of time and store it covered tightly in the refrigerator before baking. When you are ready to bake pull it from the fridge while the oven preheats and add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time since it will be going in cold. This makes it a great option for holiday entertaining and busy weeknights when you want to get the prep work done ahead of time and just pop it in the oven when you are ready to eat.
Yes! While gluten free penne works beautifully in this bake because the tubes hold onto the creamy carbonara sauce so well, you can substitute any short gluten free pasta shape you have on hand. Gluten free rigatoni, rotini, ziti, or shells all work well. Avoid long pasta shapes like spaghetti or fettuccine as they do not hold up as well in a baked pasta dish and are harder to mix and serve.
Absolutely! The peas add a pop of color and a touch of sweetness that balances the richness of the carbonara sauce beautifully but if you are not a fan you can simply leave them out. You could also substitute frozen corn, chopped spinach, or diced roasted red peppers for a different flavor and color.
Yes! Unlike traditional carbonara which relies on raw eggs tossed with hot pasta to create a creamy sauce, this recipe bakes the egg and cream mixture in the oven at 350 degrees which fully cooks the eggs through. The baked pasta is completely safe to eat and the eggs are what give the sauce its rich and custardy texture once baked.
Yes! If you do not have ricotta on hand you can substitute cottage cheese for a similar creamy texture. Drain the cottage cheese well before using to remove excess liquid. Cream cheese is another option that will give you a slightly richer and denser sauce. Keep in mind that both substitutions will change the flavor slightly but the pasta bake will still be delicious and creamy.
Absolutely and this is actually a great shortcut for busy weeknights! Simply shred or cube your rotisserie chicken and add it directly to the pan with the garlic, peas, and bacon to heat everything through. Using rotisserie chicken cuts down significantly on the prep time and makes this already easy gluten free pasta bake even faster to pull together.
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