Cheesy Baked Pasta with Chicken

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Add chicken chunks, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and dry white wine (if using) to a bowl. Mix well and let the chicken marinate for at least 5 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

In the meantime, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large non-stick pan or skillet over medium heat.

Add diced onions and minced garlic to the pan, saute for 2-3 minutes until they start to become soft. Push the onions and garlic to one side of the pan, then add prepared chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes until they are fully cooked, stir occasionally.

Remove the cooked onions and chicken chunks to a plate, then set aside.

In the same pan (no need to clean unless the bottom is burnt), add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, diced celery, and diced carrots. Stir fry to 1 minute, then a pinch of salt and diced mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are soft.

Return the cooked onions and chicken chunks back to the pan. Then add cooked pasta, heavy cream, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt (add more if needed). Cook over medium heat until everything is well combined and the heavy cream starts to thicken.

Turn off the heat and transfer the pasta to a small-medium sized baking dish. Top it off with shredded mozzarella cheese, and bake at 400F degree for 10-12 minutes, until the top becomes golden.

Let it cool for a few minutes before serving and enjoy!