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Easy 50-Minute Pumpkin Chicken Pasta

Pumpkin Chicken Pasta bake with melted Havarti and browned pasta edges
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Pumpkin Chicken Pasta combines al dente rigatoni and shredded chicken with a savory sage-seasoned pumpkin sauce. A layer of grated Havarti melts over the casserole before broiling, creating a creamy center with bubbling cheese and crisp golden edges.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound mezze rigatoni or another short pasta
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 (15-ounce) can 100% pumpkin purée
  • 2 teaspoons dried sage or 1 teaspoon fresh minced sage
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water and to taste
  • 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (about 2 1/2 cups)
  • 2 cups grated Havarti cheese
  • Chopped fresh chives, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and set out a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  2. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to its package directions. Scoop out 1 1/4 cups of pasta water, then drain the noodles.
  3. Return the empty pot to medium heat and melt the butter. Stir in the pumpkin purée, sage, black pepper, and kosher salt. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is uniform and steaming. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
  4. Fold the shredded chicken into the pumpkin mixture. Add the drained pasta and reserved cooking water, then stir until the sauce evenly coats the noodles and fills the rigatoni.
  5. Spread the pasta mixture evenly in the baking dish. Cover the surface with the grated Havarti.
  6. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted and the casserole is hot. Turn on the broiler and broil for about 5 minutes, watching continuously, until the cheese bubbles and browns and the exposed pasta edges begin to crisp.
  7. Remove the casserole from the oven, garnish with chopped chives if desired, and serve hot.

Notes

  • Cook the pasta only to al dente because it continues softening in the oven.
  • Reserve the pasta water before draining; its starch helps the pumpkin sauce coat the rigatoni.
  • Plain leftover cooked chicken can replace rotisserie chicken when used in the same cooked quantity.
  • Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat to 165°F.
  • Watch the casserole continuously under the broiler because Havarti can brown quickly.
  • Nutrition information is an estimate calculated per serving and may vary by ingredient brand and portion size.

Nutrition

Keywords: Pumpkin Chicken Pasta, pumpkin pasta bake, chicken pasta casserole, fall dinner, rigatoni bake, pumpkin chicken casserole

Find it online: https://thekitchenfinesse.com/2026/08/03/pumpkin-chicken-pasta/