Roasted Red Pepper, Spinach, Chicken & Goat Cheese Pasta Bake

I found a recipe for this goat cheese roasted red pepper sauce and I instantly thought it would be so good as a pasta bake. This is another awesome 2 pot/dish dinner that can be made in advance and then enjoyed later in the week. It was SO easy to make and came together very quickly. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 pound whole wheat rotini pasta
• 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 jar of roasted red peppers (12 oz) plus 1 extra roasted red pepper
• 1 package baby spinach (7 oz)
• 1 cup diced chicken (I used rotisserie chicken)
• 1 handful parsley, chopped
• 1 handful basil, chopped
• 6 oz goat cheese
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Don’t forget to salt the water.
2. In a sauce pan, melt the butter and heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and good until fragrant. Add the baby spinach and let wilt.
3. In a food processor, add the jar of roasted red peppers (make sure to reserve 1 extra pepper for later.) Add the cream and goat cheese. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the pepper mixture to the baby spinach and let simmer. Add the chicken, parsley, basil, and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.
5. Once the pasta is just cooked, add to a 9 x 13 baking pan. Pour the sauce over and combine. Add the reserved chopped roasted red pepper. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese over the top.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese melts and the sauce bubbles.