Chicken Alfredo Casserole (Printable)

Rich baked pasta with tender chicken, creamy Alfredo sauce, and melted mozzarella. A comforting family favorite.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 just al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
03 - In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Add Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir constantly until cheese melts and sauce becomes smooth.
05 - Add cooked chicken and drained pasta to the sauce. Mix thoroughly to coat all pasta evenly.
06 - Transfer mixture into prepared baking dish. Distribute shredded mozzarella evenly over the top.
07 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until mozzarella is bubbling and golden brown on top.
08 - Allow casserole to stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • It uses up leftover chicken without tasting like leftovers at all.
  • Everything bakes in one dish, so cleanup is mercifully simple.
  • The creamy sauce clings to every piece of pasta and gets bubbly golden on top.
  • It feels fancy enough for guests but easy enough for a weeknight.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the pasta during boiling, it will continue cooking in the oven and can turn mushy.
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan instead of the powdered stuff, it melts so much better and tastes worlds apart.
  • Let the casserole rest before serving or the sauce will run all over the plate instead of clinging to the pasta.
03 -
  • Use rotisserie chicken to cut your prep time in half and add extra flavor from the seasoned skin.
  • Grate your own mozzarella instead of buying pre-shredded, it melts smoother and doesn't have that anti-caking coating.
  • Let the garlic cook just until fragrant, any longer and it turns bitter and ruins the sauce.
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