Creamy Baked Chicken Alfredo (Printable version)

Tender chicken and creamy Alfredo sauce baked with penne pasta and golden mozzarella topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 ounces 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, approximately 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
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. Add Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir constantly until cheese melts and sauce reaches a smooth consistency.
05 - Add cooked chicken and drained pasta to the cream sauce. Mix thoroughly to ensure even coating.
06 - Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Distribute evenly and top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
07 - Bake for 25-30 minutes until mozzarella is bubbling and golden brown.
08 - Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Everything bakes together in one dish, so theres barely any cleanup and you can actually sit down while it cooks.
  • The sauce is silky and rich without being fussy, no roux or complicated steps, just cream and cheese doing their thing.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day when all the flavors have melted into each other.
  • Its the kind of meal that makes people think you spent hours in the kitchen when you really didnt.
02 -
  • Undercook the pasta by a full minute because it finishes cooking in the oven, I learned this after serving mushy casserole once and never forgot.
  • Dont skip the resting time after baking, cutting into it too soon makes the sauce watery and the pieces fall apart.
  • If your sauce looks too thick while youre mixing, add a splash of the pasta water to loosen it up before baking.
03 -
  • Use a rotisserie chicken and youll save 20 minutes of cook time plus get extra flavor from the seasoned skin.
  • Grate your own mozzarella and Parmesan from blocks, the pre shredded stuff has anti caking agents that make the sauce grainy and weird.
  • If you want a crunchy topping, mix panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and sprinkle it over the mozzarella before baking.
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