Cupboard Chicken Penne Casserole
Cupboard Chicken Penne Casserole layers tender pasta and juicy chicken with a creamy melt of processed cheese, tomatoes, and green chiles for a cozy, mellow heat. Sweet onions, bell pepper, and mushrooms round out the sauce with hearty texture. It’s an inviting bake for weeknights or casual gatherings when you want something rich, warm, and satisfying.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook40 mins
- Serves10
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Cupboard Chicken Penne Casserole, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 51 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 2 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 90 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 18
- Heart Health
- 69
- Metabolic
- 29
- Digestive
- 23
- Inflammatory
- 55
- Performance
- 43
- General Wellness
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- 2
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring it to a rolling boil. Stir in the penne and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes; drain.
- 3
While the pasta cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms; cook until they release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 4
Stir in the cheese, diced tomatoes with juice, diced tomatoes and green chiles with juice, and chile peppers; cook and stir until the cheese is melted, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the cooked pasta and chicken, then pour into the prepared baking dish.
- 5
Bake in the preheated oven until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.
- Calories 457.38 kcal High 23%
- Protein 33.97 g Good Source 68%
- Carbohydrate 30.15 g 11%
- Total Fat 22.23 g High 29%
- Saturated Fat 12.91 g High 65%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 131.87 mg High 44%
- Sodium 942.79 mg High 41%
- Dietary Fiber 3.78 g Moderate 14%
- Total Sugars 5.84 g --
- Added Sugars 0.13 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 337.08 mg Good Source 26%
- Iron 1.34 mg Low Source 7%
- Potassium 578.16 mg Moderate 12%
- Vitamin A 188.17 mcg Good Source 21%
- Vitamin C 7.76 mg Low Source 9%
- Vitamin D 0.03 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Cupboard Chicken Penne Casserole is made with 12 ingredients and serves 10. It takes about 55 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Cheese Cubes, Cooking Spray, Diced Fully Cooked Chicken Breast, and Diced Green Chiles. Each serving provides about 457.38 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Cupboard Chicken Penne Casserole made of?
- The main ingredients are Cheese Cubes, Cooking Spray, Diced Fully Cooked Chicken Breast, Diced Green Chiles, Diced Onion. The full list of 12 is above.
- How long does it take to make Cupboard Chicken Penne Casserole?
- About 55 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 40 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 457.38 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Cupboard Chicken Penne Casserole easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 12 ingredients and 5 steps.
- Is Cupboard Chicken Penne Casserole healthy?
- Cupboard Chicken Penne Casserole has an easyChef Pro health score of 45/100. Per serving, it provides 457.38 calories and 33.97 g of protein, or 68% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of calcium and vitamin A. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 942.79 mg (41% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 12.91 g (65% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Tomatoes, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
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