Craving Sunday-style comfort without the effort? Pull one of these single-serving pasta bakes from your freezer, and in about 45 minutes you’ll have bubbling marinara, tender pasta, and golden stretchy cheese, no cooking from scratch required.
Browse more freezer friendly meals one and check out these great tips for batch cooking for one.
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Yield: 4-6 individual portions
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Estimated Cost: ~$1.75 per serving
Ingredients Notes
Grocery List: Rotisserie chicken, Pasta, Jar of Marinara sauce, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning mix.
- Short pasta – While spiral pasta (Rotini) was used in this recipe, any variety of short dried pasta can be used. Gluten free pasta can also be used.
- Marinara sauce – Use either a store-bought marinara sauce or a homemade version.
- Shredded chicken – The chicken from a cooked store-bought rotisserie chicken was used in this recipe, however you could also cook and shred chicken yourself. Also perfect use for leftover chicken from this Roasted Sheet Pan Chicken & Vegetables.
- Italian seasoning – Use a store-bought Italian seasoning or a homemade version by mixing together.
- Mozzarella and Parmesan – The cheeses in this recipe was shredded from a block of cheeses, however you can make this recipe even faster by using the pre-shredded versions.
Step-by-Step Process Photos
Prep for Freezing
- Label and freeze with the date. Freeze for up to 3 months. Ta-Dah! See how easy this is, perfect comfort food dinner for one of those busy Sundays!
- Cook the pasta to just under al dente (about 1–2 minutes less than package directions). It will finish cooking when you bake it later. Drain well and let cool slightly.
- Make the sauce mixture: In a large bowl, combine the marinara sauce, shredded chicken, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine: Add the cooled pasta to the sauce and toss gently until well coated.
- Portion into containers: Divide the pasta mixture evenly among 6 freezer-safe single-serving containers (about 1½ cups per portion). Small foil pans with lids, silicone containers, or oven-safe glass containers all work well.
- Top with cheese: Sprinkle each portion with ⅓ cup mozzarella and a heaping tablespoon of Parmesan.
- Wrap tightly: Cover with lids or wrap securely with foil, then place in freezer bags for extra protection against freezer burn.
Quick Tip:: If you prefer more sauce, add an extra spoonful of marinara over the top before reheating to keep the pasta nice and saucy after freezing.
To Reheat & Serve
From Frozen (Recommended)
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Remove lid or foil covering. Cover loosely with a fresh sheet of foil.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes covered.
- Remove foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley.
From Thawed
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes until heated through and cheese is golden.
Tips for Success
- Under cook the pasta: This is the most important step. Fully cooked pasta becomes mushy after freezing and reheating.
- Cool completely before freezing to prevent ice crystals and soggy pasta.
- Use quality containers: Small 2-cup foil pans with cardboard lids are inexpensive and go straight from freezer to oven.
- Add vegetables: Stir in sautéed spinach, diced bell peppers, or mushrooms to the sauce before portioning.
- Microwave option: Thaw overnight, then microwave on 70% power for 4–5 minutes, stirring halfway. Finish under the broiler for 2 minutes if you want a crispy cheese top.
Chicken & Pasta Bake
An easy chicken pasta bake made with pantry staples that bakes in one pan, then slices into six freezer-friendly single-serving portions for quick dinners for one.
Ingredients
Recipe Directions
- Prep for Freezing
- Cook the ¾ pound dried short pastato just under al dente (about 1–2 minutes less than package directions). It will finish cooking when you bake it later. Drain well and let cool slightly.
- Make the sauce mixture: In a large bowl, combine the 2 cups marinara sauce, shredded chicken, Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine: Add the cooled pasta to the sauce and toss gently until well coated.
- Portion into containers: Divide the pasta mixture evenly among 6 freezer-safe single-serving containers (about 1½ cups per portion). Small foil pans with lids, silicone containers, or oven-safe glass containers all work well.
- Top with cheese: Sprinkle each portion with ⅓ cup mozzarella and a heaping tablespoon of Parmesan.
- Wrap tightly: Cover with lids or wrap securely with foil, then place in freezer bags for extra protection against freezer burn.
- Label and freeze with the date. Freeze for up to 3 months.
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Nutrition
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Let us know how it was!Recipe Cost Estimate for Chicken Pasta Bake
| Ingredient | Quantity Used | Estimated Price | Cost for Recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dried short pasta | 1 lb | $1.25 / 16-oz bag | $1.25 |
| Marinara sauce | 4 cups (32 oz) | $3.00 / 32-oz jar | $3.00 |
| Cooked shredded chicken | 2 cups (≈ 8 oz) | $3.49 / lb raw → ≈ $2.60 | $2.60 |
| Italian seasoning | 2 tsp | $2.00 / 1-oz jar | $0.08 |
| Onion powder | 1 tsp | $2.00 / 1-oz jar | $0.04 |
| Garlic powder | 1 tsp | $2.00 / 1-oz jar | $0.04 |
| Red-pepper flakes | ½ tsp | $4.00 / 1-oz jar | $0.04 |
| Salt & pepper | Pinch each | Pantry staples | $0.02 |
| Shredded mozzarella | 2 cups (8 oz) | $2.50 / 8-oz bag | $2.50 |
| Shredded Parmesan | ½ cup (2 oz) | $2.99 / 6-oz bag → ≈ $1.00 | $1.00 |
| Total Recipe Cost | $10.57 |
Note: Prices vary by region, brand, and current sales. If you grab loss-leader pasta for $0.89 or snag a rotisserie chicken on markdown, the total drops even lower.