A simple and delicious casserole version of a dish every family loves! Give this Chicken Alfredo Bake a try for your next dinner! Pasta, chicken, lots of cheese, and yummy seasonings make this recipe a hit!
Everyone loves a good casserole, and why not make one from the classic Chicken Alfredo?! Not only is this recipe delicious and cheesy, but it’s loved by all and perfect for a crowd.
casserole version of a classic
Who doesn’t love Pasta?! I’ve shared our love before and admit that we make at least one pasta dish a week. Our favorites include Spaghetti, Homemade Mac and Cheese, Creamy Penne Pasta – you name it!
Today’s recipe is also a new favorite – Chicken Alfredo casserole. We love it for so many reasons, but just like the other pastas listed, we love them because:
- They are always delicious – usually butter and lots of cheese are involved (which means you can’t go wrong).
- The WHOLE family loves it.
Yes, it’s true – my kids aren’t always picky, but we still struggle to get in some green veggies. Pasta is never an issue though, which means we make it all the time.
We LOVE Fettuccine Alfredo and knew a casserole version with chicken would be just as good. Of course, everyone loved it, and with lots of cheese, chicken and delicious spices, I have a feeling you will too. 😉
How to make + BAKE
This Alfredo bake begins with cooking the pasta, as directed on the box (we used penne for this recipe) as well as cooking the chicken.
Always try to marinate your chicken, if possible, because it adds so much flavor. We do this by throwing it in a bag of Italian dressing and let sit overnight or even a few hours!
Slice your marinated chicken in half so they are thinner pieces so they cook through evenly, then rub them in a mixture of seasonings before cooking them in a skillet with oil (you can also BAKE your chicken).
To make the sauce, melt the butter in another large skillet. Add garlic and cook for 1 – 2 minutes. Using a wire whisk, mix in flour and stir until bubbly. Mix in half & half and milk, then stir to combine. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to low heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
With your whisk, mix in 1½ cup of cheese. Cook an additional 5 minutes until sauce starts to thicken and then remove sauce from heat.
Cut your cooked chicken into bite size pieces and add to a large bowl. Add the cooked pasta to your bowl and then the sauce. Mix everything to combine.
Spray a 9×13 baking pan with non stick spray. Add the pasta mixture to the pan and sprinkle with an additional 1½ cup of cheese, then bake this cheesy chicken casserole for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.
Can you use other pastas? You can definitely use your pasta of choice for this recipe. We used penne, but you can also use fettuccine, mini penne, rigatoni, or linguine. We recommend using penne or fettuccine.
You can also add veggies to this dish too – fettuccine and broccoli would both be great additions.
MAKING AHEAD + FREEZING
Can you make this ahead of time? We often make baked pasta dishes ahead of time. We typically do this the morning of. Just make as directed and then cover and place in the fridge for up to 24 hours in advance.
Can you freeze baked Alfredo? Yes, you can. Whether it’s leftovers or before it’s baked, you can freeze this dish if done properly for up to 2-3 months in the freezer.
What to serve with?
There are so many great sides and breads that go great with this chicken Alfredo casserole. Here are some of our favorites:
Again – so many options! Be sure to check out our sides and salads for even more ideas.
There are quite a few steps to this recipe, but they are so easy! If you’ve made pasta dishes like this before, then it’s all pretty standard. You can even change it up by adding some of your favorite veggies or making a non-meat version and leaving out the chicken. 😉
For more cheesy pasta recipes, check out:
- Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta
- Bowtie Pasta with Italian Sausage
- Chicken and Asparagus Pasta
- Three Cheese Pasta Bake
- Homemade Mac and Cheese
- Cheesy Baked Tortellini
Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 12 oz. pkg penne pasta
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts marinated in Italian dressing if desired
- vegetable oil
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 TB olive oil
- 1/2 c butter
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 4 TB all-purpose flour
- 3 c half and half
- 3 c milk
- 3 c Kraft Italian Five Cheese Blend divided
- Italian Seasoning, garnish
Instructions
- If time allows, always try to marinate your chicken. Throw them in a bag of Italian dressing and let sit overnight or even a few hours will help your chicken to be tender and full of flavor.
- Cook pasta as directed. Drain and set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, heat 1 - 2 TB of oil in a skillet on medium heat.
- Slice your marinated chicken in half so they are thinner pieces. This will help them cook through evenly.
- In a bowl mix salt, pepper, thyme and poultry seasoning and rub it on all sides of your chicken breasts. Add chicken to hot oil and cook on both sides until done (about 15-20 minutes). Remove to a plate to let cool.
- While chicken is cooling, preheat your oven to 350 and start on your sauce. In a separate large skillet melt the butter; add garlic and cook for 1 - 2 minutes.
- Using a wire whisk, mix in flour and stir until bubbly. Mix in half & half and milk, stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce to low heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- With your whisk, mix in 1½ cup of cheese. Cook an additional 5 minutes until sauce starts to thicken. Remove sauce from heat.
- Cut your cooked chicken into bite size pieces and add to a large bowl. Add the pasta to your bowl and then the sauce. Mix everything to combine.
- Spray a 9x13 baking pan with non stick spray. Add the pasta mixture to the pan and sprinkle with an additional 1½ cup of cheese.
- Sprinkle with pepper and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.
Kid favorite at our house!!
I love that this freezes so well!
When do you add the olive oil. The recipe doesn’t say.
I think we may have double listed the oil…. you can use either olive or vegetable to pan fry the chicken. We’ll look into updating that recipe card. Thanks!
I only have 2 cups of half and half. Do I add an extra cup of milk?
Yes, you could do that and it should still turn out just fine!