Chicken Alfredo Casserole
Cheesy, creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole has all the best ingredients served up in a deliciously simple dish that your family will love!
Creamy and melty Chicken Alfredo Casserole can be on the table in less than an hour! You won’t be able to get enough of this pasta casserole filled with juicy chunks of chicken, mixed in a delectable homemade white sauce and topped with melty cheese.
SIMPLY DELICIOUS
Who doesn’t love an easy, yet crowd-pleasing, one dish dinner? Chicken, pasta, and cheese married in a savory bechamel sauce is all you need to wow your family tonight.
If you love a good Alfredo sauce as much as I do then you’ve got to try One Pot Alfredo Pasta or Chicken Alfredo Lasagna Roll Ups.
OTHER RECIPES TO SERVE WITH CHICKEN ALFREDO CASSEROLE
- Lemon Butter Broccolini – This citrusy broccolini is the perfect pairing for creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole.
- Ricotta Parmesan Garlic Bread – Cheesy pasta is always better with a side of cheesy bread!
- Italian Chop Salad – This fresh green salad is a great way to balance out a hearty pasta dinner.
INGREDIENTS
Chicken: You’ll need a pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast.
Pasta: This casserole calls for 1 pound of penne pasta.
Cheese: The most important ingredients are freshly grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
Roux: This creamy roux consists of butter, fresh garlic, flour and half and half.
Seasoning: Season up this tasty dish with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN ALFREDO CASSEROLE
STEP ONE: Begin by preheating your oven to 360 degrees F. Cook the penne pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water for 3 minutes less than the package indicates. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Season the bite-sized chicken pieces with salt and pepper and fry them in a large pan with heated oil over medium heat. Once done cooking, remove the chicken pieces and add them to the pot with the pasta.
STEP TWO: In the same pan, melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter and add the garlic cloves. Cook the garlic for one minute and then stir in the flour and mix until it becomes a paste/roux. Continue by adding a large pour of half and half to the roux whisking constantly. Then pour in the remaining half and half and whisk making sure there are no lumps. Bring the roux to a simmer, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until it thickens.
STEP THREE: Once thickened, add the nutmeg, pepper and grated parmesan cheese. Stir the mixture and season it with salt to taste. Mix the sauce with the cooked penne and chicken along with half of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
STEP FOUR: Pour the Chicken Alfredo Casserole contents into a 9-inch x 13-inch pan and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese of the top. Place it in the oven and bake it for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- Be sure to cook the pasta 3 minutes less than written on the package to avoid it being overcooked once the casserole has finished cooking.
- If the bechamel sauce becomes lumpy you can blend it with an immersion blender until it’s smooth.
- You can add vegetables like spinach or broccoli. These fit very well. Blanche the broccoli before adding. You can also cook the broccoli with the pasta, just add to the pasta the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
- Crispy bacon adds a nice flavor too. Cook your bacon, crumble it, and add the bacon along with the rendered fat to the sauce.
BEST VARIATIONS OF THIS CHICKEN ALFREDO CASSEROLE
If you want to get creative, there’s lot that can be done to enhance this casserole. I love to add spinach or blanched broccoli to the mix before baking. You can also cook the broccoli with the pasta by adding it to the boiling pot in the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
If you want to take this recipe in a whole different direction, try adding crispy bacon! Simply cook the bacon, crumble it and add it to the sauce along with the rendered fat. You’ll thank me later.
HOW LONG DOES CHICKEN ALFREDO CASSEROLE LAST?
Allow this Chicken Alfredo Casserole to cool before storing it in the fridge. It will last for 3-4 days when stored properly. When you’re ready, you can simpy reheat it in the oven or the microwave. If you end up with extra leftovers you can always wrap them in foil and freeze them. I like to wrap up individual servings to pull out for a quick lunch. One thing is for sure though, these leftovers never last too long in my house.
OTHER CRAVE WORTHY CASSEROLE RECIPES
- Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
- Easy Sloppy Joe Casserole
- Chicken Noodle Casserole
- Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
- Simple Broccoli Casserole
- Sausage Egg Casserole
Chicken Alfredo Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half and half
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- Fresh parsley chopped, for ganish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for 3 minutes less than the package directions instruct. Drain and set aside in the same pot.
- Preheat your over to 360 degrees F.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and while that's heating up season the chicken pieces all over with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes, until almost cooked through. (It'll finish cooking in the oven.) Transfer to the pot with the pasta.
- To the same skillet add the butter. Once melted, add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the flour and stir into the butter.
- Add the half-n-half a little at a time to the roux while whisking until it's all been added, making sure there are no lumps. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
- Add the nutmeg, some pepper, and Parmesan to the sauce. Whisk until the cheese has melted in. Season with salt to taste.
- Pour the sauce into the pot with the pasta and chicken along with 1 cup of mozzarella. Stir to combine.
- Pour the mixture into a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish and spread into an even layer. Top with the remaining cup of mozzarella.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese on top is melted and the sauce is bubbling. Remove from the oven, sprinkle the top with parsley, and serve warm.
Notes
- You can add vegetables like spinach or broccoli. These fit very well. Blanche the broccoli before adding. You can also cook the broccoli with the pasta, just add to the pasta the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
- Crispy bacon adds a nice flavor too. Cook your bacon, crumble it, and add it along with the rendered fat to the sauce.
You left out the amount of flour.