Looking for a hearty dish that’s both simple and unforgettable? Chicken mostaccioli checks every box. It’s a cozy, flavorful recipe rooted in tradition, perfect for busy weeknights or Sunday dinners.
With easy preparation and rich, comforting flavors, this dish is destined to become a staple in your food rotation.
The Comfort of Familiar Flavors
Chicken mostaccioli combines the best of Mediterranean-inspired cooking with a comforting twist. Tender shredded chicken is simmered in a savory tomato-based sauce, elevated by smoky bacon, warm allspice, and fragrant bay leaves.
These ingredients come together to create a rich and layered flavor that feels like a hug in a bowl. The pasta itself, with its ridged texture, ensures every bite is packed with that luscious sauce.
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What sets this recipe apart is its heartwarming simplicity. Whether you grew up enjoying Italian-inspired dishes or are discovering them for the first time, this dish delivers familiar flavors in a fresh and satisfying way.
And don’t worry if you don’t have mostaccioli pasta on hand—ziti or penne make excellent substitutes without losing the dish’s character.
Why This Recipe Is So Easy
Despite its complex and satisfying flavors, this dish is surprisingly easy to make. It’s designed for home cooks of all skill levels, so you don’t need to be a kitchen expert to pull it off. Here’s what makes this recipe a breeze:
- Minimal prep time: The ingredients list may look long, but most of them are pantry staples like tomato paste, bay leaves, and spices. With just 15 minutes of prep, you can get everything ready to go.
- Hands-off cooking: Once you’ve browned the chicken and started the sauce, it’s all about slow-simmering. This gives you time to relax or prep sides while the dish practically cooks itself.
- Simple substitutions: If you prefer, you can easily swap chicken thighs for breasts or use gluten-free pasta to suit dietary needs.
This balance of ease and flavor makes it a go-to recipe for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or even a special family gathering.
Tips to Elevate This Dish
Want to take this recipe to the next level? These tips will help you get even more out of this delicious food recipe:
- Plan ahead for deeper flavor: If possible, make the sauce a day in advance. Letting it rest overnight enhances the richness and complexity of the flavors.
- Cheese matters: Adding a Parmesan rind to the sauce as it cooks creates a subtle creamy texture and depth. Finish with freshly grated Parmesan for a bold, savory topping.
- Wine pairing: The recipe uses red wine for cooking, which adds depth to the sauce. Pair your meal with the same wine to create a harmonious dining experience.
Perfect for Any Occasion
Chicken mostaccioli is as versatile as it is delicious. It’s a crowd-pleaser at dinner parties, potlucks, or family gatherings, thanks to its bold flavors and comforting appeal.
Plus, it’s a fantastic option for meal prep. The leftovers store beautifully and taste even better the next day, making it a great choice for planning ahead.
This recipe is also highly adaptable. For a lighter version, swap out the bacon for turkey bacon or skip it altogether.
For a vegetarian twist, replace the chicken with hearty vegetables like mushrooms or eggplant and use vegetable broth instead of chicken stock. The result is a dish that works for nearly every taste and dietary preference.
A Dish That Brings People Together
At its heart, this recipe is more than just a meal—it’s a celebration of family, tradition, and shared experiences. Whether you’re cooking for loved ones or treating yourself, this dish is bound to spark joy and connection.
Ready to give this easy food recipe a try? This chicken mostaccioli proves that with a little time and care, you can create something truly memorable.
From its rich, flavorful sauce to its tender chicken and perfectly cooked pasta, this dish is one you’ll come back to time and time again.
Easy Chicken Mostaccioli Recipe
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Cheesecloth and kitchen twine
Ingredients
- 20 whole allspice berries
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon chopped
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves smashed
- 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds)
- 2 or 3 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 1 pound)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 6-ounce cans tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Parmesan rind plus grated Parmesan for serving
- 1 pound mostaccioli pasta or substitute ziti or penne
Instructions
- Prepare the spices: Bundle the allspice berries in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it securely with kitchen string to form a spice pouch.
- Cook the bacon: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook until it becomes crisp and renders its fat, about 5 to 8 minutes. Once crisp, stir in the chopped onion and smashed garlic cloves, cooking until softened and fragrant.
- Brown the chicken: Add the chicken breasts and thighs to the pot. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sear the chicken on all sides until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side.
- Deglaze the pan: Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. This step enhances the flavor of the sauce.
- Combine the sauce ingredients: Stir in the tomato paste, 4 cups of water, the spice pouch, Parmesan rind, and bay leaves. Mix well to combine all the ingredients. Cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to low.
- Simmer the sauce: Let the mixture simmer gently for 2 hours without removing the lid. After the initial 2 hours, uncover the pot, stir the sauce, and continue simmering for an additional 2 to 4 hours if you have time, allowing the flavors to deepen.
- Prepare the chicken: Remove the bay leaves, Parmesan rind, and spice pouch from the pot. Take the chicken pieces out and shred the meat using two forks, discarding the bones and skin. Return the shredded chicken to the sauce, and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Cook the pasta: In a separate pot, bring salted water to a boil. Cook the mostaccioli pasta according to the package instructions until it is al dente. Drain the pasta well.
- Assemble the dish: Combine the cooked pasta with the sauce, tossing to ensure the pasta is evenly coated. Serve the dish hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- To maximize flavor, consider making the sauce a day ahead of serving. Letting it sit overnight allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Mostaccioli pasta can be replaced with ziti or penne if desired.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.