Air Fryer Chicken Pasta Bake

Air Fryer Chicken Pasta Bake is an easy recipe for a classic family dinner. Tasty, filling and cheesy, it’s the ultimate family comfort food.

So, I’m fully addicted to the air fryer now. 

I’ve quickly gone from halloumi, toasties and baked potatoes to full meals. 

This air fryer chicken pasta bake is one of my absolute favourites!

Can You Cook Pasta Bake in the Air Fryer?

Yes, you can cook pasta bake in the air fryer. I think maybe you can cook anything in an air fryer? Maybe. Don’t quote me on that!

Lots of articles claim that you can’t make saucy or cheesy dishes in the air fryer. But this is largely because of the mess.

I absolutely don’t recommend pouring sauce directly into the drawer. Nor would I recommend anything that fills the drawer with stock or simmering for hours.

But cooking something in a cooking dish, making sure the liquid is away from the heating element, and cooking quickly means that saucy dishes are fine!

I’ve seen many recipes still cook the onions and whatnot in a frying pan on the hob and just use the air fryer to bake the put-together dinner. 

However, this recipe for chicken pasta bake in the air fryer does everything but the pasta in the air fryer, making it super simple and budget-friendly and reducing the washing up. 

Why I Love Air Fryer Chicken Pasta Bake

I love this chicken pasta bake because:

• It’s quick, easy, and cheap, everything I want from a midweek meal. 
• It’s the perfect size dinner recipe for our family of four. 
• The clean-up is super quick and easy!
• Any Pasta bake recipe is a win in my house. 

Ingredients For Air Fryer Chicken Pasta Bake

Conchiglie Pasta – Other kinds of pasta are fine, too. I like conchiglie because the middle fills with sauce, which is lovely. Rigatoni is good, too. The sauce really gets into the ridges. I don’t recommend anything too smooth. 

Red Onion 

Chorizo – Hot or mild is fine. 

Garlic Puree – I love garlic puree (ginger and chilli too!) I’ve always got some in the fridge, so I never need to chop or crush garlic. But if you prefer, you can use a clove or two of crushed fresh garlic. 

Chicken Breasts – I often use mini fillets. They tend to be cheaper, and there’s less to chop. Big ones are good, too. 

Chopped Tomatoes – For a simple tomato pasta sauce. 

Soft Cheese – I recommend full-fat. Lower-fat dairy can cause the sauce to split. 

Mixed Herbs

Salt and Pepper

Mozzarella – I buy pre-grated for easy. 

You’ll Also Need

Knife and chopping board – to prepare your onion and chorizo.

Pan and colander – to cook the pasta. 

Air fryer

Spatula – Silicone is best for use in the air fryer if you have it. 

Silicone Air Fryer Basket. Silicon baskets are fab because they are easy to get in and out and clean. They are so handy for air frying meals like this air fryer pasta bake. 

You’ll need baskets/liners which fit your fryer. Personally, I love these (affiliate link). They are pretty deep and round, and the extra-long handles mean you can easily lift the basket.

They also have a pretty firm bottom, so while flexible, they hold their shape when full of food. This helps your delicious meal to stay in shape and makes it much harder to spill the juice out as you lift. 

If your air fryer basket is smaller, I recommend making this chicken pasta bake in two batches, either one at a time or using both of your drawers simultaneously, depending on your model. 

If you don’t have silicone baskets, you can make pasta bake in the air fryer in any heatproof baking dish that’s suitable for use in your air fryer and that fits easily. 

How to Make – Step-by-Step Instructions

Full, easy-to-follow instructions and quantities are available in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step One

Cook the pasta according to packet instructions but for around half the time. This will give your finished pasta bake an al dente texture.

If you generally prefer very soft pasta, cook closer to the time on the pack. 

Step Two

Drain the cooked pasta, rinse in cold water to stop it from sticking together and leave to one side. 

Step Three

Preheat your air fryer to 180 degrees C. 

Step Four

Place the onions, chorizo, and garlic in a silicone air fryer basket (or appropriate heatproof dish) and stir in a tablespoon of water. 

You can use olive oil instead of water, but I find the water works really well, and the oils from the chorizo mean that you don’t really need more. 

Step Five

Carefully place the basket in the preheated air fryer and cook for 5 minutes. 

Step Six

Carefully (the silicone will be hot) stir well and add the diced chicken breasts.

Step Seven

Air fry for a further 8 minutes, stirring halfway. 

This stir is just to flip the chicken a little so it browns evenly.

Step Eight

If the chicken still isn’t browned, air fry for another minute or two until it is. 

Step Nine

Add chopped tomatoes, soft cheese, mixed herbs, salt and pepper, and stir well. 

The cheese might not stir in evenly because it’s cold. Do your best, but don’t worry too much. It will melt soon. 

Step Ten

Add the pasta and stir until it’s evenly distributed, ensuring all of the pasta is covered in sauce. 

Step Eleven

Air fry for 5 minutes.

Step Twelve

Stir well, making sure the sauce hasn’t all sunk to the bottom and the chicken is cooked through (cut a large piece in half). 

If the chicken needs more time, return to the air fryer for another five minutes until it is. 

Step Thirteen

Sprinkle on grated cheese liberally. 

Step Fourteen

Air fry for 5 minutes until the cheese is golden brown. Return for a few minutes more if necessary. 

Top Tips

• It might seem like you are stirring every few minutes, but keeping everything covered in sauce is essential, or things might be crisp or even burn. If you didn’t stir the pasta once added, it would be rock hard when served. 
• Don’t worry too much if the soft cheese doesn’t stir in well. It will as the sauce heats up. 
• I sit my silicone basket on top of the crisper tray in my drawer. 
• Leave your air fryer pasta bake to stand for a few minutes before serving. This helps the sauce stick to the pasta instead of just running to the bottom.
• I’ve used shells (conchiglie) and cooked for half of the time stated by the packet instructions. You can use other types of pasta (something with holes or grooves is best), and if you prefer very soft pasta, you may want to cook for closer to the time in the cooking instructions. We like ours pretty firm. 

Serving Suggestions

I generally serve my air fryer chicken pasta bake with garlic bread and a simple side salad. 

Husband loves a pasta bake sandwich! 

You could also serve with some fresh veggies or even chips if you fancy a carb feast. 

Variations

This recipe just about fits into my silicone basket. If I had more space, I’d add some diced peppers when I cook the onions and chorizo. 

Another option is adding some cheddar or parmesan to your mozzarella. 

The other main variation is how you cook your pasta bake. 

I do it all in the air fryer, but if you prefer, you can prepare your pasta bake in a flameproof dish on the hob before transferring it to a dish suitable for your air fryer and topping with cheese to bake. 

Leftovers

Leftover pasta bake can be reheated the next day. 

If your air fryer has a reheat setting, use this. If not, air fry at around 160 degrees C for 10 minutes until the chicken is piping hot.

This will depend on how much you have left. If the top of your baked pasta is already crispy, sprinkle on a little water and loosely cover it with foil.

You could also reheat it in the microwave. 

Just make sure the chicken is piping hot, however you reheat it. 

Storage

You can store your leftovers covered or in a sealed tub in the fridge for 1-2 days. 

FAQ

Other Air Fryer Recipes 

My air fryer collection is rapidly expanding, but for now, you might want to try:

• Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
• Air Fryer Halloumi
• Chilli Con Carne in the Air Fryer
• Simple Air Fryer Sponge Cake
• Air Fryer Fish Finger Sandwiches
• Easy Air Fryer Burgers
• Air Fryer Wedges
• Air Fryer Cottage Pie
• Parsnip

Recipe Card

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