Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake
Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake Recipe – A comforting dish that’s loaded with creamy Italian cheeses and precooked chicken. This easy meal is perfect to enjoy on a busy weeknight, or for making ahead and freezing!
Why We Love This Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake Recipe
There are few dinners that are more deliciously indulgent than rich, creamy Alfredo pasta. Made with zesty parmesan cheese and cream, a perfect Alfredo sauce should be thick and smooth, and so tasty that you don’t care one bit about the calories!
This Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake recipe has that luscious, cheesy goodness of classic Alfredo you know and love. Yet it is easily prepared with precooked chicken and baked as a deliciously comforting Italian-inspired casserole dish. And while traditional chicken Alfredo is typically best when prepared and served right away, by turning it into a baked pasta casserole we’ve created an excellent make ahead dish for enjoying as part of your weekly meal plan… Or freezing for later use!
Bring it to your next potluck to feed a hungry group, or make this recipe for an easy dinner and enjoy leftovers for lunch! You can even prepare it with the no-boil pasta method and make it ahead as a freezer meal to keep on hand and serve in a pinch.
Ingredients You Need
- Penne pasta – or similarly shaped tube-like pasta like large macaroni noodles, rigatoni, or ziti
- Cooked chicken – leftover or rotisserie chicken breasts
- Butter and all-purpose flour – to create the Alfredo roux
- Garlic – an essential in an Italian-inspired cooking
- Half & half – you need the full-fat of “real” half & half to make the best creamy cheese sauce
- Italian seasoning – store-bought or try our homemade blend
- Chicken bouillon – to really UMPH up the savory chicken flavor
- Cheeses – shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan
- Parsley – fresh, for garnishing
How to Make the Easiest, Cheesiest Chicken Alfredo Casserole
Preheat the oven and set out a large 9X13 inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stovetop. Stir in the noodles and cook according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta once al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta water for later use.
While the pasta is boiling, make the Alfredo cheese sauce. Melt butter in a second large sauce pot over medium heat. Then whisk in the flour and minced garlic. Continue whisking for a couple of minutes until the roux in golden in color.
Next, whisk in the half & half, Italian seasoning, and chicken bouillon. Once the mixture is hot but not boiling, stir in about half of the shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Stir and gently simmer until the cheese is well incorporated.
Pro Tip: The sauce should be thick, but still saucy… not like gravy. If it seems too thick, little by little mix in ½ to 1 cup of the reserved pasta water.
Now mix in the cooked pasta and chopped precooked chicken.
Pour the mix into the baking dish and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella over the top.
Bake uncovered until the sides are bubbling and the cheese on top of the chicken Alfredo bake is melted with crispy edges.
Get the Complete (Printable!) Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Sprinkle the casserole with chopped fresh parsley, if you like, and serve warm.
It’s the perfect Italian-esque meal to enjoy with baked breadsticks or hunks of crusty garlic bread.
To lighten things up a bit and balance all of that cheesy goodness, you might consider serving a fresh green salad on the table as well. Try our fabulous Caesar salad or just a simple bed of your favorite lettuces and a quick vinaigrette dressing.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is easy to make this baked chicken and pasta casserole without boiling the pasta beforehand! To do so, simply place the pasta in a large bowl and cover with very hot tap water. Stir, and let the pasta sit for about 20 minutes until close to al dente.
This is ideal to do while you work on making the cheese sauce, and then use the “cooked” pasta as directed in the recipe. I love using the no-boil trick to help cut down on heat in the kitchen!
Leftovers will keep well for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. The pasta dish will still taste terrific when reheated in the microwave or oven!
This is an excellent dish to make ahead and freeze! For best results, I recommend making the casserole in a freezer-safe dish, like disposable aluminum foil pans with lids.
You can fully prepare the Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Pasta, package in an airtight container, and freeze unbaked for up to 3 months.
When you are ready to enjoy, simply bake uncovered in a 350 degree F preheated oven for 1 hour. There’s no need to defrost it first!
Looking for More Delicious Casserole Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- King Ranch Chicken Casserole
- One-Pot Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Baked Ziti with Ricotta and Sausage
- Cajun Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Stuffed Fiesta Cornbread Casserole
- Mexican Breakfast Casserole
Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried penne or another similar shape
- 1 pound cooked chicken chopped (leftover or rotisserie)
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 5-6 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups half & half
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1 cup grated parmesan
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Set out a 9X13 inch baking dish.
- Set a large pot of salted water over high heat. Once boiling, stir in the penne and cook according to the package instructions. Then drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water for later use.
- Meanwhile, set a second large sauce pot over medium heat. Add the butter. Once melted, whisk in the flour. Then whisk in the minced garlic. Continue to whisk for 1-2 minutes until the roux is golden in color.
- Stir in the half & half, Italian seasoning, and bouillon. Once the mixture is hot, stir in 1 cup shredded mozzarella, and 1 cup parmesan cheese. Stir and simmer until the cheese is well incorporated.
- The sauce should be thick, but still saucy, not like gravy. If it seems too thick, mix in ½ to 1 cup pasta water. Then mix in the cooked pasta and chicken pieces.
- Pour the pasta mix into the baking dish. Spread out evenly. Then sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese over the top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the sides are bubbling and the cheese on top is melted with crispy edges. Serve warm.
If I don’t have half & half is there any substitute?
Hi Cherise,
Half & half is technically half heavy cream and half milk. So use those if you have them. In a pinch, you can use just whole milk.
Hey Sommer,
I just made this tonight for my family and they loved it. Move over mac and cheese, welcome Cheesy. Chicken Alfredo. I followed the recipe all the way but added nutmeg and used heavy whipping cream instead of half and half.
Very Delish. Thank you Sommer.
Can’t wait to try this! Is the chicken bouillon a concentrated paste you mix with water, like Tone brand? And is the Parmesan the kind you buy in a block & grate yourself? Thank you!
Hi Janet,
You can use bouillon granules, paste, or two cubes crumbled. You can buy the grated parmesan in a tub, unless you want to grate it yourself. :)
This is amazing!! I love how comforting this is!
This is a ‘must-have’ in any dinner rotation! I got the email around 4:00 and had the entire dish ready to eat by 6:00 including running to the store for a rotisserie chicken! Thank you Summer!