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Chicken & Spinach Pasta Bake***
by MELISSA RODRIGUEZ
serves: 6
  http://www.joyzz.com/article-1541.html
Ingredients:
  10 Oz   Dry Pasta
  2 Tbs   Butter
  1/2   Onion, Chopped
  2 Cloves   Garlic, Minced
  4 Oz   Chive & Onion Cream Cheese
  1 Cup   Sour Cream (or Plain Greek Yogurt)
  1 Cup   Half & Half
  1/2 Cup   Parmesan Cheese
  2 Cups   Mozzarella Cheese, Shredded
    Salt & Pepper
    Red Pepper Flakes
  1 1/2 Cups   Spinach, Fresh; Chopped
  2 Cups   Chicken, Cooked & Cubed (or Shredded)
  1/2 Cup   Grape Tomatoes
Directions:
  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Coat a medium casserole dish with non-stick spray. (Mine was a 10" round, but a 9 x 13 would work fine.)

Cook pasta in salted, boiling water to al dente. Drain and set aside.

While pasta is cooking, heat butter in a medium saute pan set to medium heat. Add in the onion and garlic. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes to slightly soften veggies. Do not brown.

Add in cream cheese and stir to melt. Reduce heat to low. Stir in sour cream, milk, Parmesan cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir until everything is well-combined and melted. Turn off heat.

Combine the pasta, chicken, spinach and tomatoes in a large bowl.

Add in the sauce and gently stir to coat.

Pour into the prepared baking dish. (I drizzled in a little more half-and-half over the mixture once it was in the baking dish because it looked a little dry to me.)

Top with the remaining mozzarella.

Bake uncovered for about 20 -25 minutes ... or until casserole is bubbly and beginning to brown. Top with basil or parsley for garnish.

NOTE: In order for the pasta bake to not dry out, I place the baking dish on a sheet pan and add 1 - 2 cups of very hot water to the sheet pan once in the oven. This will create steam during the baking process and will help to keep everything moist.