Chicken Penne "Casserole"

I had to laugh at the title of this dish when I found it online a couple of weeks ago.   While I've been laid up I've been watching "The Chew" - and one thing Mario Batalli has beaten into my brain is that a "casserole" is something that contains a can of soup.  HaHaHA!!!  No soup in this one - it was simple to make and good.

Chicken Penne Casserole

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup each chopped onion, green pepper and sweet red pepper
1 teaspoon each dried basil, oregano and parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

Procedure:
Saute the chicken, onion, peppers and seasonings in oil until chicken is no longer pink. 

Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer.

Combine the tomatoes and tomato paste and add to the cooked chicken mixture. 

Stir in the broth  and bring to a boil. The reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. 

Drain the pasta; toss with chicken mixture. Spoon half of the mixture into a greased 2-qt. baking dish. 

Sprinkle with half of the cheeses. Repeat layers.

Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through. 

Yield: 4 servings.