Make me a Meal Monday - Chicken and Pasta Baked Casserole

Chicken and Pasta Baked Casserole

aka Glorified Mac and Cheese or known even better at my house as "Congrats, you had a baby, do you mind if I come over and see your new bundle of joy, and I will bring you dinner meal?"

3/4 pound whole wheat pasta shells or penne
salt, to taste
1 small rotisserie chicken (you can also just use chicken breast)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 bag fresh leaf spinach, chopped
1 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
6 ounces fresh mozzarella, grated (use the real stuff - not the powder stuff - just bagged shredded cheese)
4 ounces fresh Vermont cheddar (I use Vermont Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated - I use the whole bar (because lets face it more cheese just means more deliciousness - right?)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter/spray a large, rectangular casserole dish

Boil the pasta in salted water per package instructions. Drain, toss with a two tablespoons of olive oil. Set aside.

Chop onion, dice up chicken (or shredded it if you prefer), and grate the block of Vermont White Sharp Cheddar Cheese (yes I said grate...)

Heat a tablespoon or two of oil in a skillet or wok. Saute the onions and a bit of salt for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic, then spinach, cooking for approximately 20-30 seconds.

Remove skillet or wok from heat and stir in almonds.

Combine spinach mixture with pasta in a large bowl and carefully stir.

When chicken is done cooking, slice and add. Set aside. (If you like to sneak in more veggies, I’d recommend sliced mushrooms which I have also added before)

Combine cheeses (Vermont Extra Sharp Cheddar and Mozzerella) in a medium bowl. Begin by adding a layer of pasta to the casserole dish, followed by a layer of cheese.

Continue alternating layers, finishing with a layer of cheese. Sprinkle just a dash of cayenne and paprika over the top.

Cover dish with foil and bake for approximately 30 minutes.