Mediterranean Chicken and Pepper Casserole

• 3 cups uncooked mafalda pasta
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into strips
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• ¼ cup Italian green olives
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• ¼ cup grated Grana Padano cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until flexible but not fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Drain.
3. Heat oil in a cast iron casserole dish over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, olives, thyme, lemon zest, and pepper flakes. Cook and stir until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in half-cooked pasta, then sprinkle Pecorino Romano and Grana Padano over top.
4. Bake in the preheated oven casserole is bubbling and cheeses are melted and browned, about 15 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.