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This hearty homemade chicken alfredo bake is made with cooked chicken, tender pasta, gooey cheese, and a rich, creamy sauce for a quick and easy casserole that is perfect for busy weeknight dinners.
For more simple comfort food dinner ideas, check out our Crockpot Baked Ziti and Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole.
MORE CHICKEN RECIPES:
Chicken Enchiladas | Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
CHICKEN ALFREDO BAKE INGREDIENTS
You will need:
- 16 ounce box penne pasta
- 5 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cup mozzarella, shredded, divided
- 1 1/2 cups parmesan, shredded, divided
- 2 cups shredded or chopped chicken breast
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
PASTA: Penne is a great pasta for this Alfredo bake because it stands up well in baking, but you can substitute ziti, farfalle, large shells, and most other shaped pastas if you have any on hand.
STUFFED PASTA: Want to kick it up a notch? Try using a stuffed pasta like tortellini or ravioli for a really impressive meal.
ALFREDO SAUCE: You can use a jar of Alfredo sauce in this recipe and skip steps two and three.
SPICES: If you like extra spice, add crushed red pepper flakes with the black pepper.
VEGGIES: You can also add vegetables to up the nutritional value. Spinach, broccoli, zucchini, tomatoes, and mushrooms are all good options for this dish.
CHICKEN: You can use a rotisserie chicken for a simple and fast meal. You could also omit the chicken to make this dish vegetarian.
SHRIMP: You could also make this with shrimp! You could do a mix of half chicken and half shrimp or replace all the chicken with shrimp for a seafood only option.
CHEESE: I do recommend shredding your own cheese for this recipe as it melts creamier. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating on it that can make it melt unevenly, resulting in clumps.
HOW TO MAKE THIS CHICKEN ALFREDO BAKE RECIPE
STEP ONE: Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Cook it only until it is “al dente,” which means slightly firm and chewy. It will continue to cook and become tender while it bakes. Reserve a little pasta water, then drain and set aside.
STEP TWO: Melt the butter in a dutch oven over medium heat.
STEP THREE: Whisk in the cream cheese to the melted butter.
STEP FOUR: Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Continue to whisk until the cheese is fully melted and all ingredients are incorporated.
STEP FIVE: Add the flour and mix it in well then pour in one cup of heavy whipping cream at a time, followed by the milk, stirring well after each addition.
STEP SIX: Add one cup each of mozzarella and parmesan cheese, continuing to stir until they melt
STEP SEVEN: Once melted, add the chicken and pasta, coating them thoroughly with the sauce.
PRO TIP: Is your sauce too thick? Add in some of the pasta water that you set aside. That will thin out the sauce and help it coat the pasta more evenly.
STEP EIGHT: Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased 9×13 pan or casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, just long enough to melt the cheese.
PRO TIP: If you like browned, bubbly cheese, turn on the broiler for a minute or two once the dish is finished baking.
HOW TO SERVE
Serve this cheesy Chicken Alfredo Bake with crusty bread and a salad, like Simple Homemade Caesar Salad, for a simple but flavorful Italian dinner.
STORAGE
IN THE FRIDGE: Store covered in the pan or transfer to an airtight container. It will keep 3-5 days in the fridge. The sauce may break down slightly when reheated, but it will still taste great.
IN THE FREEZER: Seal with plastic wrap and freeze for up to six months. For best results, freeze this dish before baking it. Thaw overnight, then bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes.
Chicken alfredo bake offers a hearty and easy homemade dinner that is full of classic flavors. With pasta, cheese, chicken, and a luscious sauce, this made from scratch casserole is ready for the table in less than 30 minutes!
MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
Chicken Alfredo Bake
Ingredients
- 16 oz penne pasta
- 5 tbsp salted butter
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cup mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
- 1 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded, divided
- 2 cup chicken breast shredded or chopped c
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare pasta to al dente and set aside.
- In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add cream cheese. Use a whisk to stir.
- Add minced garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Whisk until mixed and butter/cream cheese are melted.
- Add flour and mix well.
- Add heavy whipping cream one cup at a time, continue to stir. Add milk.
- Add one cup of mozzarella cheese and one cup of parmesan cheese, stir to mix and melt.
- Once all the sauce is melted, stir in chicken and pasta.
- Pour in 9×13 pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.
- Top with remaining one cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes to melt the cheese. Turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes to brown.
I simply love this! Perfect for busy weeknights.
So does the chicken cook in the oven or do you cook the chicken before and dice it?
Hi, Morgan – you’ll want to cook the chicken before adding it in! Enjoy!
Easy way out is pick up rotisserie chicken at the grocery store.
Amazing! Our new favorite.
This is really good! I was lazy and just used a rotisserie chicken and shredded the breast and it was perfect!
Hi what is the pepper cream?
It’s missing a comma! 🙂 It means pepper and cream… haha, thanks for catching it. Enjoy 🙂
I made this for the first time this week. I have 5 kids of varying ages, a VERY picky husband, and my folks live with us. I made it gluten free due to allergies, but it was AMAZING! LITERALLY EVERYONE in our family liked it!! Definitely going into our regular dinner rotation for SURE!
Would I be able to use jarred Alfredo sauce if I have it in?
Sure! Enjoy 🙂
Made this yummy dish, and added broccoli. Everyone LOVED it!
Our family really loves this!
I had some left over brined/smoked chicken and settled on this over tetrazzini. Boy am I glad that I did. Talk about flavor bomb. I was a little leery about the dried herb amounts, but wow. This one is a keeper!