Chicken Alfredo Bake (Printable)

Comforting pasta blended with tender chicken, Alfredo sauce, and melted cheese for a cozy dinner.

# What you need:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz penne or rigatoni

→ Chicken

02 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - ½ tsp black pepper
05 - 1 tbsp olive oil

→ Alfredo Sauce

06 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
09 - 2½ cups whole milk
10 - ½ cup heavy cream
11 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
12 - ½ tsp Italian seasoning
13 - ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Cheese Topping

15 - 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
16 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
17 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
02 - Boil pasta in salted water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - Season diced chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken until golden and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from skillet.
04 - Melt butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic for 1 minute until fragrant. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute while stirring.
05 - Gradually whisk in whole milk and heavy cream, stirring to eliminate lumps. Cook 3-4 minutes until sauce slightly thickens.
06 - Stir in Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Cook until sauce is smooth and coats the back of a spoon.
07 - Add cooked pasta and chicken into the sauce, mixing gently until fully incorporated.
08 - Transfer mixture into the prepared baking dish. Evenly sprinkle shredded mozzarella and additional Parmesan over the top.
09 - Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown.
10 - Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Optionally, garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you spent all afternoon on it.
  • Watching the cheese turn golden brown in the oven is oddly mesmerizing and signals that dinner is almost ready.
  • Leftovers taste just as good, maybe better, the next day cold straight from the fridge.
02 -
  • If you pour cold milk directly into a hot roux without whisking gradually, you'll end up with sauce that tastes grainy and broken—patience here saves everything.
  • Undercooking the pasta by a minute or two is non-negotiable; it will firm up as it bakes and you don't want mush.
  • Fresh grated Parmesan makes an actual difference—the pre-grated stuff contains anti-caking agents that create a chalky texture in cream sauce.
03 -
  • Grating your own Parmesan from a block rather than buying pre-grated makes the sauce noticeably smoother and more luxurious.
  • Let the baking dish cool for five minutes before serving so the sauce sets just enough to hold together on the fork without getting cold.
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