Chicken & Pepper Cavatappi Milano
with Fresh Mozz, Crispy Panko & Chives
- Milk
- Wheat
No matter the weather, it’s impossible not to daydream about a bubbly, soul-warming pasta dish. Well, folks, that dream is now a reality. This delicious dish has curly cavatappi and tender strips of roasted bell pepper cloaked in a creamy tomato-herb sauce. It’s topped off with fresh mozzarella and crispy panko before being broiled to gooey, golden-brown perfection. Yep, this one-pan wonder is guaranteed to satisfy all your carby cravings. (We’re all about making dreams come true.)
Ingredients
1 unit
Bell Pepper
4 ounce
Fresh Mozzarella
(Contains: Milk)
14 ounce
Marinara Cup
1 teaspoon
Chili Flakes
¼ cup
Panko Breadcrumbs
(Contains: Wheat)
6 ounce
Cavatappi Pasta
(Contains: Wheat)
2 tablespoon
Cream Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
¼ ounce
Chives
10 ounce
Chicken Breast Strips
Not included in your delivery
2 teaspoon
Olive Oil
1 tablespoon
Butter
(Contains: Milk)
Salt
Pepper
1 teaspoon
Cooking Oil
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. • Halve bell pepper lengthwise; remove stem and seeds. Thinly slice chives. Tear mozzarella into bite-size pieces.
• Rub each bell pepper half with a drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet, cut sides down. • Roast on top rack until softened and lightly charred, 20-25 minutes. • Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Transfer to a cutting board, then thinly slice. • Heat broiler to high.
• While bell pepper roasts, place 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave until just melted, 30 seconds. Stir in panko and season with salt.
• Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. • Drain and set aside.
While pasta cooks, pat chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably ovenproof, pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.
• While pasta cooks, heat a large, preferably ovenproof, pan over medium-high heat. Add marinara, ½ cup water (¾ cup for 4 servings), half the chives, a pinch of chili flakes, and a big pinch of salt; stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer until slightly thickened, 3-5 minutes. • Turn off heat; stir in cream cheese until melted and combined. Season with salt and pepper.
Use pan used for chicken here.
• Stir sliced bell pepper and drained cavatappi into pan with sauce. If sauce seems too thick, add a splash of water. Season with salt and pepper. (TIP: If your pan isn’t ovenproof, transfer mixture now to a baking dish.) Sprinkle with mozzarella and panko. • Broil until cheese melts and panko is golden brown, 2-4 minutes. TIP: Watch carefully to avoid burning. • Sprinkle with remaining chives and more chili flakes if desired. Divide between plates and serve.
Stir chicken into pan with bell pepper and cavatappi.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many loved the taste, though some found it bland; adding extra herbs or a richer stock boosted flavor 🍲.
- Ease of prep: Simple to make, but some felt it took longer than the estimated 35 minutes.
- Suggestions: Consider adding protein like chicken or sausage; toast the panko for extra crunch.
- Portions: Generous servings; many had leftovers for lunch or enough to feed 3-4 people.
- Spice level: Some found it too spicy; adjust red pepper flakes to taste.
Reviews from our home cooks
This was our first HelloFresh meal! We are not typically pasta people, but this was amazing and something we would make again. The roasted peppers were delicious and the mozzarella made it perfect. In fact, if I made it again, I would add more mozzarella! There was plenty of sauce and the toasted crumbs on top made it perfect!
This was excellent - by far one of the best HF meals I've had ever. I pureed the roasted pepper and added it to the sauce and the flavor was perfect. Hall of Fame recipe.
Easy to make. The roasted pepper adds flavor. The crunch from the panko crumbs and fresh mozz and chives are perfect together.
Love this one! I love anything Italian, and this one was great with the marinara sauce. Got it out from under the broiler right in time for the cheese to brown slightly. The panko and chives on top made this all come together. Will order again.
We loved the amount of cavatappi in this recipe, but we needed more marinara sauce. I added 16 oz. of tomato sauce and 1 Tablespoon of Italian Seasoning. I also omitted the cream cheese - we don't need the added saturated fat calories. We also eliminated the Mozzarella cheese as it also added too much sodium and saturated fat to the dish.
This dish was a huge hit with our family. I added roasted garlic chicken sausage to this dish to satisfy two men with hearty appetites. The flavor of the roasted peppers with the mozzarella, crispy panko and pasta was superb.
Hands down on the top 5 favorite dishes from hello fresh! The addition of roasted bell peppers adds a great flavor and acidity.
You just can't go wrong with the pasta dishes. This one is no exception! Just so delicious! The roasted red peppers bring it to another level!
Really liked this dish! Loved the panko and the fact that the mozzarella was fresh. Don't think this dish could get better. Right up my boyfriend alley
Good, unfortunately the pasta and fresh mozzarella have a wonderful flavor but the two together end up giving an unsatisfying rubber-like texture (this is something that is expected from fresh mozz, so if you enjoy it then it is fine) If you aren't too picky this meal will be tasty enough to please you.
