Baked chicken ziti casserole is a simple and delicious 30-minute meal your family will love. Made quickly using rotisserie chicken, jarred marinara sauce, with the added flavors of sauteed garlic and fresh basil. Gluten-Free.
You can now create this classic dish with a gluten-free twist without compromising flavor. Baked ziti will quickly become a go-to dinner recipe for busy nights or when you simply don’t want a lot of cleanup. This cheesy pasta recipe even makes the best leftovers!
For more gluten-free pasta recipes, check out our Gluten-Free Baked Ziti with Sausage, Taco Pasta Bake and Gluten Free Butternut Squash Ravioli.
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Chicken Recipes
I am not kidding when I say that my family could eat chicken for dinner every night of the week. While it is super nice that the kids love any chicken recipe that hits the dinner table, it does require a bit of creativity on my part. You can only have the same chicken recipe so many times!
If your family is anything like mine then you’ll be happy to know that I have created everything from baked chicken to air-fried chicken, crockpot meals to instant pot dishes, and so much more. Excited to inspire you to find new favorites, included you will find our most popular chicken recipes along with frequently asked questions about cooking with chicken below.
This recipe was created with rotisserie chicken for ease, but it can be swapped with chicken thighs, chicken breasts, tenderloins or even canned chicken if preferred. To get started, gather the equipment and ingredients then follow the step-by-step instructions below.
Equipment
- 9 x 13 inch baking pan
- large skillet
- medium-sized saucepan
- stir spoon
- measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken, diced ✅
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes ✅
- 8 ounces gluten-free ziti we used Bonza
- 24 ounces marinara sauce ✅
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese ✅
- 2/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese ✅
Gluten-Free Guide: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten.
How To Make Baked Ziti With Chicken
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Boil the pasta, cutting the box cooking instruction time in half. We cooked the Bonza pasta for 4 minutes. Drain and add back to the saucepan.
Sauté the onions and garlic
Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the chicken, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir together.
Combine the pasta mixture
Add the marinara and fresh basil to the pasta. Gently stir. Add to the prepared baking pan.
Layer the casserole
Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of the pasta. Add the chicken mixture on top of the parmesan cheese. Add the mozzarella cheese.
Bake
Bake for 15 minutes. Garnish with additional fresh basil. Serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven until hot. If reheating in the oven, cover with foil to prevent the top from becoming too crispy.
Baked ziti is a complete meal in itself but could also be served with Gluten Free Dinner Rolls or a side salad for a larger spread of options.
Chicken breasts can be cooked in the crockpot, oven, Instant pot or even air fryer. The key to the best cooked chicken breast is monitoring the internal temperature. Chicken should be cooked to the internal temp of 165°F. With chicken breasts, it is important to not overcook as it will result in dry and tough chicken.
You can bake chicken breasts in the oven between 350-375°F. Learn How To Pound Chicken Thin for a quick and easy way to ensure your chicken is tender and moist once cooked.
The baking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken. Check out our How To Bake Thin Sliced Chicken Breasts guide that creates tender baked chicken every time.
Kids In The Kitchen
Cooking tips and suggestions for kids making this recipe.
- Check the back or side of the pasta box to see how long to cook noodles then divide the time in half. For example, if the pasta needs to cook for 8 minutes, then only cook for 4 minutes. The pasta will finish cooking when it is baking.
- Translucent means the onions have become clear and started to smell sweet.
- Make this recipe dairy free by removing the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses from the ingredient list.
Popular Chicken Recipes
- Crockpot Chicken Thighs
- How To Boil Chicken Thighs
- Old Fashioned Boiled Chicken and Rice
- Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs
- Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Tenderloins
- How To Boil Chicken Legs
- Air Fry Chicken Legs
- Gluten Free Fried Chicken
Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Recipes
Rotisserie chicken is versatile making it a great option for those busy nights. Any of these recipes can be made with fresh chicken or leftover rotisserie chicken!
- Gluten Free Chicken Noodle Soup
- Dairy Free Chicken Buffalo Dip
- Gluten Free Chicken Casserole
- Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie
- Chicken A La King (Instant Pot & Stove Top)
- Healthy Crack Chicken Pasta
- Gluten Free Chicken Enchiladas
- Chicken & Cheese Pinwheel Recipe
- Crockpot Chicken Pasta
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Baked Chicken Ziti
Equipment
- 9 x 13 inch baking pan
- medium-sized saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken, diced ✅
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes ✅
- 8 ounces gluten-free ziti we used Bonza
- 24 ounces marinara sauce ✅
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese ✅
- 2/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese ✅
Instructions
- ⭐️Preheat the oven and boil the pasta. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Boil the pasta, cutting the box cooking instruction time in half. We cooked the Bonza pasta for 4 minutes. Drain and add back to the saucepan.8 ounces gluten-free ziti
- ⭐️Saute the onions and garlic. Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the chicken, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir together.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium onion, diced, 2 large cloves garlic, minced, 2 cups rotisserie chicken, diced, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Combine the pasta mixture. Add the marinara and fresh basil to the pasta. Gently stir. Add to the prepared baking pan.24 ounces marinara sauce, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- Layer the casserole. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top of the pasta. Add the chicken mixture on top of the parmesan cheese. Add the mozzarella cheese.2/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese, 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- ⭐️Bake. Bake for 15 minutes. Garnish with additional fresh basil. Serve hot.
Notes
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven until hot. If reheating in the oven, cover with foil to prevent the top from becoming too crispy.
- Baked ziti is a complete meal in itself but could also be served with Gluten Free Dinner Rolls or a side salad for a larger spread of options.
- This recipe was created with rotisserie chicken for ease, but it can be swapped with chicken thighs, chicken breasts, tenderloins or even canned chicken if preferred.
Nutrition
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