Creamy Baked Chicken Alfredo (Printer View)

Baked pasta with tender chicken, creamy Alfredo sauce, and golden mozzarella cheese. Comfort food at its finest.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or ziti pasta

→ Chicken

02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 cups heavy cream
06 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Cheese Topping

10 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
02 - Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain thoroughly and reserve.
03 - Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour heavy cream into the saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until completely melted and smooth.
05 - Add cooked chicken and drained pasta to the Alfredo sauce. Mix thoroughly to ensure even coating of all ingredients.
06 - Pour the pasta and sauce mixture into the prepared baking dish. Distribute mozzarella cheese evenly across the top.
07 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown on top.
08 - Allow the casserole to stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It pulls together in under an hour but tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, so you can enjoy it twice without any extra work.
  • The golden bubbly cheese on top makes everyone lean in a little closer when you bring it to the table.
02 -
  • Undercook your pasta by a full minute because it keeps cooking in the oven, and mushy pasta ruins the whole dish.
  • Freshly grated Parmesan melts like a dream, but the pre-grated stuff can make your sauce gritty and clumpy no matter how much you stir.
  • Let the casserole rest after baking or the sauce will run everywhere when you try to serve it.
03 -
  • Use a rotisserie chicken and shred it while it's still warm, the meat pulls apart easier and stays more tender.
  • Grate your own mozzarella instead of buying pre-shredded, it melts smoother and doesn't have that weird anti-caking powder.
  • Taste your sauce before adding the pasta, because it's much easier to adjust seasoning when it's still liquid.
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