Delicious Baked Ziti Zips Up Dinner

Delicious Baked Ziti. Italian dishes are family favorites, so oftentimes I strive to make a ground chicken dish zippier using unconventional methods.

A recipe for Delicious Baked Pasta Casserole I discovered online inspired me to put my own twist on it to suit dietary needs. Since everyone loved it (including the sometimes picky 3-year-old niece), I declare this recipe a winner.

Another thing I love about this recipe is that it takes a little less than half an hour to prepare, and then it is baking away for 20-25 minutes. If you use that baking time wisely, all your prep dishes and pans will be clean by the time your Delicious Baked Ziti is done.

Delicious Baked Ziti Zips Up Dinner

Eleanor Craig

This Delicious Baked Ziti is so easy to make and was a hit with family and friends at the party. What is your favorite Italian dish?

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4 people

Calories 1148 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

•  
  16 ounces ziti pasta
• 1 pound ground chicken (minced chicken) - (not ground chicken breast; too dry for this dish)
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 medium carrots - cut into 1/2″ slices
• 2 stalks celery - cut into 1/2″ slices
• 1 medium onion powder - finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 ½ cups milk - 2% milk
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK)
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
•  
  1 teaspoon light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon Herbes de Provence
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 16 ounces Mozzarella cheese - use 1/2 at a time
•  
  8 ounces part skim ricotta cheese
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese - to top

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Prepare al dente ziti. Drain pasta water. Return pasta to pot (leave pot off the burner for now).
• In the meantime, cook ground chicken. Season with cumin and salt. Drain fat. Put cooked chicken in a bowl.
• Saute carrots, celery, and onion in a skillet over medium heat for 5-7 minutes (or until veggies are nearly tender) with either chicken fat drippings or 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Once veggies are tender, toss in minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds along with vegetables.
• Whisk milk and flour together until completely combined. Pour into vegetable mixture in pan; stir. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, Herbes de Provence, and pepper. Bring to a boil for about a minute (mixture will show thickness at boiling). Turn the heat off the pan.
• Pour vegetable mixture, cooked ground chicken, and 8 ounces of mozzarella into a pot with pasta. Stir.
• In a separate bowl, combine ricotta cheese with Italian seasoning.
• Spoon 1/2 of the pasta mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Top with spoonfuls of ricotta cheese mixture. Put the remaining pasta mixture on top of the ricotta cheese. Sprinkle the remaining 8 ounces of mozzarella and the fresh parmesan.
• Cover the baking dish with foil. Bake (covered) for 20-25 minutes until it is hot and bubbly, with melted cheese adorning it.

Nutrition

Calories: 1148kcalCarbohydrates: 120gProtein: 79gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 206mgSodium: 1608mgPotassium: 1916mgFiber: 9gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 6555IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 1375mgIron: 8mg

How did this recipe turn out for you?We’re eager to hear your thoughts!