Chicken Alfredo Bake is a mouth-watering comfort food dish made with a homemade Alfredo sauce, savory chicken and pasta. This easy Chicken Alfredo Bake recipe is an easy weeknight dinner that the whole family will love!
Love pasta as much as we do? Make sure to try our Mac and Cheese and Stuffed Shells!
Chicken Alfredo Bake Recipe
Easy pasta bake recipes are a go-to for quick and delicious weeknight dinners. This Chicken Alfredo Bake is one of our all-time favorites thanks to the freshly made alfredo sauce, penne pasta and savory chicken.
Alfredo sauce is a rich and creamy white sauce made with butter, heavy cream, Parmesan and garlic. The sauce comes together super fast which is just enough to get the pasta cooked and then the pasta bake is ready to be assembled.
We like to use penne pasta in this recipe but other tubular pastas will definitely work so use what you have on hand.
More Pasta Recipes To Try
Pasta recipes are typically quick and easy to prepare and are super kid-friendly. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Chili Mac and Cheese
- Chicken and Noodles Recipe
- Homemade Hamburger Helper Recipe
- Mushroom Stroganoff
- Stuffed Shells
- Lazy Day Lasagna
What You’ll Need
I love that I keep most if not all of these ingredients on hand. This meal is such a staple in our household, it’s frequently requested and being able to pull it together at the last minute is always a plus. As always, you can find the full printable recipe with complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need:
For the Alfredo Sauce
- unsalted butter – I prefer to use unsalted to have more control over the salt content of this recipe. You can use salted butter if you prefer but if you want to keep the salt content down either use unsalted butter or reduce the amount of added salt according to your preference.
- minced garlic – store bought pre-minced garlic is a great way to save some prep time.
- all-purpose flour – any all-purpose flour is fine to use. I used King Arthur’s Unbleached flour. A gluten-free all-purpose flour (along with gluten free penne) can be substituted for a gluten-free version.
- whole milk or half and half – Using full fat milk helps make the sauce creamy and rich. To keep the same texture and creaminess I recommend sticking with either whole milk or half and half.
- heavy cream – this creates a rich and creamy sauce.
- chicken stock – any kind of chicken stock or chicken broth is fine – homemade or store bought. I recommend using low-sodium versions.
- Parmesan cheese – this is an essential ingredient to the alfredo sauce and I highly recommend buying fresh Parmesan and grating it yourself.
- sea salt and black pepper
For the Chicken Alfredo Bake
- chicken breast – cooked and diced. Use your preferred method to cook your chicken and dice it ahead of time to cut down on prep when you make the chicken alfredo bake. I also have quick recipes below for baked or skillet chicken breasts. Rotisserie chicken can absolutely be used in this recipe.
- penne pasta – substitute with gluten-free past for a gluten-free version of this pasta bake.
- mozzarella cheese – I highly recommend buying a block of mozzarella and shred it yourself for the best results. Pre-shredded cheese contains additives that prevent it from melting smoothly.
To Garnish
fresh parsley – completely optional but I love the freshness it adds.
How To Make Chicken Alfredo Bake
Prepare Alfredo Sauce
- Melt butter in a saucepan and stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Whisk in the flour and then slowly whisk in the whole milk and heavy cream.
- Whisk in the chicken stock, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and increase heat to medium.
- Continue cooking until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce has thickened slightly and is bubbling.
Assemble Pasta Bake
- Combine the cooked penne and chicken into a lightly buttered baking dish.
- Pour the sauce over and toss to coat.
- Top with mozzarella and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until bubbly and hot.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired and serve immediately.
Chicken Options
I usually grab a rotisserie chicken for this recipe to save time but here are a few other ways to prepare the chicken:
Baked Chicken Breasts
- Heat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- and place on prepared sheet pan.
- Combine 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, half a teaspoon each of salt and fresh ground black pepper and one quarter teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil on chicken breasts and sprinkle with seasoning mix. Flip breasts over and repeat on the other side.
- Place chicken breasts on prepare baking sheet and bake chicken breasts in the preheat oven (For crispier chicken, broil on high heat during the last few minutes of cooking.) Remove chicken and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting.
Skillet Chicken Breasts
- Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pound chicken breasts to even thickness.
- Combine 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, half a teaspoon of salt and fresh ground black pepper and one quarter teaspoon garlic powder and onion powder in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil on chicken breasts and sprinkle with seasoning mix. Flip breasts over and repeat on the other side.
- Add chicken to the hot skillet and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side adding additional oil if needed. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of165°F. Let chicken rest at least 5 minutes before cutting.
Chicken Alfredo Bake FAQs
To reheat, place in an oven-safe container and bake at 375° F for about 15 minutes, or until warmed through. Stir once or twice during reheating. You can also reheat the chicken alfredo bake in the microwave if you prefer. To avoid having the sauce separate, heat at 50% power for 45 second increments and stir in between each increment.
Sure. Go ahead and assemble the casserole but do not bake. Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 1 day before baking. Take the casserole out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature as you are preheating the oven.
It can be difficult to reheat alfredo sauce without any separation. I find the best way to prevent the sauce from separating is to reheat at a low temperature and stir the alfredo bake often.
Leave out the chicken for a vegetarian dish. Add some sautéed spinach, diced tomatoes, or steamed broccoli for some extra vitamins and flavor. Double the sauce ingredients for an extra saucy pasta dish.
Broccoli Chicken Alfredo Bake
Adding broccoli is a great way to add some veggies to this easy past bake! Simply steam broccoli until crisp tender and add to the baking dish in step 6.
Storage Information
Leftovers should be store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Trish’s Tips and Tricks
- Cook the pasta to al dente for the best texture.
- Feel free to double the alfredo sauce recipe if you like your pasta extra saucy. It’s also great for dipping into with Garlic Parmesan breadsticks or dinner rolls.
- If you’re really looking to save time, consider buying store-bought alfredo sauce for this recipe.
More Comfort Food Favorites
- Salisbury Steak Recipe
- Chicken Fried Steak Recipe
- Chicken and Noodles Recipe
- Tuna Casserole with Noodles
- Stuffed Shells
- Lazy Day Lasagna
- Mac and Cheese
How To Make Chicken Alfredo Bake Recipe
Chicken Alfredo Bake
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups whole milk or half and half
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken stock low sodium
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound chicken breast cooked and diced (rotisserie chicken can be used)
- 16 ounces penne pasta cooked to al dente
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese freshly shredded
Garnish
- fresh parsley optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Lightly butter a 9×13 inch baking dish or spray with nonstick baking spray and set aside.
- Prepare alfredo sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Whisk in the flour. Slowly whisk in the whole milk (or half and half) and heavy cream until fully incorporated.3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups whole milk, ½ cup heavy cream
- Whisk in the chicken stock, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper and increase heat to medium.½ cup chicken stock, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Continue to cook, whisking often, until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce has thickened slightly and is bubbling. Remove from heat.
- Assemble. Place the cooked penne and diced chicken into the prepared baking dish. Pour the sauce over and toss to coat making sure the Alfredo sauce is fully incorporated.1 pound chicken breast, 16 ounces penne pasta
- Top with the shredded mozzarella and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until bubbly and hot.8 ounces mozzarella cheese
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired and serve immediately.fresh parsley
Cyndi says
This was quite easy to make and was very delicious. Definitely will be making it again. A little more sauce would be good but don’t know that I would double it. Thanks for a great recipe!
Shelby Patterson says
Im not usually one to leave reviews, but I just have to say that this is my kids’ favorite meal. They are 11 & 12, and anytime I make this I know its going to be eaten right up.
Kerry Johnson says
Easy recipe to make! I love how the ingredients are posted under each step. It’s nice to not have to scroll back & forth from the ingredients to the steps & back again. It did take a little longer for my Alfredo sauce to thicken & bubble. I increased the heat a little & kept an eye on it. My family loved this dish! It is a “make again!”