Chicken Alfredo Bake is a creamy, cheesy pasta dinner made with penne, tender seasoned chicken, homemade Alfredo sauce, and Italian cheese. The chicken can be marinated in Italian dressing for even more flavor, then sliced, cooked, and baked with pasta until bubbly and golden.
We love this for family dinners, Sunday meals, potlucks, and feeding a crowd because it bakes in a 9×13 pan and feels hearty without being hard. Serve it with salad, Garlic Bread, Breadsticks, or Roasted Vegetables for a dinner everyone will be excited about.
Why you’ll love it + Why it works:
- Perfect for Busy Nights: Assemble it ahead of time and let the oven finish dinner.
- Feeds a Crowd: A 9×13-inch pan is perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or sharing with friends.
- Comfort Food Classic: Every bite is loaded with creamy sauce, pasta, and melty cheese.
- Homemade Alfredo Sauce: The buttery garlic sauce is rich, smooth, and much more flavorful than jarred sauce.
Chicken Alfredo Bake Ingredients
- Penne pasta (1 (12-ounce) package): Holds the creamy Alfredo sauce inside and out, making every bite flavorful. Rotini or ziti also work well.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts (3, marinated in Italian dressing if desired): Adds hearty protein and stay tender when marinated before cooking. Chicken thighs can also be substituted.
- Vegetable oil: Helps cook the chicken evenly without sticking to the pan.
- Thyme (¼ teaspoon): Adds subtle earthy flavor that complements the creamy sauce.
- Poultry seasoning (¼ teaspoon): Boosts the flavor of the chicken with a simple blend of herbs.
- Salt and pepper (to taste): Seasons both the chicken and the finished casserole.
- Olive oil (2 tablespoons): Helps cook the chicken while adding a little extra flavor.
- Butter (½ cup): Forms the rich base of the homemade Alfredo sauce.
- Minced garlic (2 teaspoons): Adds classic savory flavor to the Alfredo sauce. Fresh garlic gives the best flavor.
- All-purpose flour (4 tablespoons): Thickens the sauce into a creamy consistency.
- Half and half (3 cups): Creates a rich, velvety Alfredo sauce without being overly heavy.
- Milk (3 cups): Balances the richness of the sauce while keeping it smooth and creamy.
- Kraft Italian Five Cheese Blend (3 cups, divided): Melts into the sauce and creates a golden, cheesy topping. Freshly shredded cheese also works well.
- Italian seasoning (garnish): Adds a pop of color and extra herb flavor before serving.
How to Make Chicken Alfredo Bake
OPTIONAL MARINADE. If time allows, marinate the chicken. Add chicken and Italian dressing to a bag. Let it sit overnight or even for a few hours to make the chicken tender and full of flavor.
PASTA. Cook pasta as directed. Drain and set aside.
While pasta is cooking, heat 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet on medium heat.
CHICKEN. 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. 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.
SAUCE. While the chicken is cooling, preheat your oven to 350°F 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 (you can also sub these two for heavy cream), and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce to low heat and simmer for minutes.
With your whisk, mix in 1½ cups of cheese. Cook for an additional 5 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
Remove sauce from heat.
ASSEMBLE. 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.
BAKE. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Add the pasta mixture to the pan and sprinkle with an additional 1½ cups of cheese.
Sprinkle with pepper and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Garnish the dish with chopped parsley, if desired.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Marinate the chicken in Italian dressing for a few hours or overnight if you have time.
- Slice the chicken breasts in half before cooking so they cook evenly and more quickly.
- Whisk the flour into the melted butter and garlic until bubbly before adding the liquids.
- Simmer the sauce until it starts to thicken before mixing it with the pasta and chicken.
- Make-ahead tip: assemble the pasta bake earlier in the day, cover and refrigerate, then bake when ready, adding a few extra minutes if it starts cold.
Chicken Alfredo Bake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) package penne pasta
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, marinated in Italian dressing if desired
- vegetable oil
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups half and half
- 3 cups milk
- 3 cups 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 tablespoons 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 the chicken is cooling, preheat your oven to 350°F 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 9×13 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.
Notes
- Marinate the chicken in Italian dressing for a few hours or overnight if you have time.
- Slice the chicken breasts in half before cooking so they cook evenly and more quickly.
- Whisk the flour into the melted butter and garlic until bubbly before adding the liquids.
- Simmer the sauce until it starts to thicken before mixing it with the pasta and chicken.
- Make-ahead tip: assemble the pasta bake earlier in the day, cover and refrigerate, then bake when ready, adding a few extra minutes if it starts cold.
Nutrition
Recipe FAQ
Prepare as directed, cover, and place in the fridge. We typically do this the night before or the morning of, but it can be stored up to 24 hours before baking, or wrap the dish with plastic and again with foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
Store leftovers in an airtight container(s) in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze for about 2 months.
Reheat slowly over low heat and add extra milk to help smooth out the texture.
If you are in a hurry or on the go, reheat smaller portions in the microwave.
Complete the Meal
Side Dishes
Cheesy Garlic Bread
20 mins
Baked Parmesan Asparagus
25 mins
Oven Roasted Vegetables
35 mins
Garlic Knot Recipe
20 mins
Cheesy Pastas
Triple Cheddar Chicken Pasta
35 mins
Best Homemade Mac and Cheese
40 mins
Cheesy Tortellini Pasta
20 mins
Pasta Bake
35 mins
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This recipe was first shared May, 2015.
Have you ever made this and frozen it? Did you freeze before or after baking. Thanks!
This recipe was delicious! When I ran by the store to grab the ingredients, they didn’t have that exact cheese blend so I just used a store brand Italian cheese blend. It still turned out great! I also used some diced chicken I had previously made and stored in the freezer, so it reduced my prep time by about 20 minutes. Thanks for sharing, we really enjoyed it.
3 cups of half and half plus 3 cups of milk seems like an awful lot of liquid
I just made this and the sauce was so liquidy, it was almost like water. Im really hoping it will thicken in the oven because im making this for somebody that just Had a baby. 🙁
How many servings to this recipe?
Serves between 8-10. 😉
Looking forward to making this.
Sounds more than delish. If anyone has done without frying chicken, please post. I detest the mess of frying, but do on rare occasion.
You could poach it in chicken broth.
You could also use a purchased roasted chicken, taken off the bones and skin and chopped or shredded into bite size pieces. That would eliminate the cooking the chicken step
I like to do that, too when I am in a hurry or last minute 🙂
Do leftovers of this taste okay, or is it something you have to eat it immediately?
The leftovers taste AMAZING!
Thanks Nicole and I agree!! It’s perfect for lunch the next day!
When do you use the olive oil? I cooked my chicken in the vegetable oil but wasn’t sure when to use the olive oil?
That was totally confusing. Just updated the recipe, so thanks for the heads up. When you’re cooking your chicken you can cook it in 1-2 TB of vegetable or olive oil and that is the only time you use the oil. 😉
How many servings?
Recipe looks amazing but can you explain what half and half is for me.. Thanks
Here is a link that explains what half and half is. 😉
http://www.thekitchn.com/what-is-halfandhalf-ingredient-intelligence-205959