Chicken Alfredo Casserole (Printable Page)

Rich baked pasta dish featuring tender chicken, creamy Alfredo sauce, and melted mozzarella cheese.

# What You 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

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
02 - Cook penne or ziti pasta in salted boiling water until 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 heavy cream into the saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until smooth and fully incorporated.
05 - Add cooked chicken and drained pasta to the sauce. Mix thoroughly until all components are evenly coated.
06 - Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Distribute shredded mozzarella cheese evenly across the top.
07 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until mozzarella is bubbling and golden brown on top.
08 - Allow casserole to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It transforms leftovers and simple staples into something that feels like a special occasion without any fuss.
  • The creamy sauce clings to every piece of pasta, and the mozzarella on top gets those crispy, cheesy edges everyone fights over.
  • You can prep it ahead, refrigerate it, and bake it when you walk in the door, which has saved me more weeknights than I can count.
02 -
  • Undercook the pasta by a full minute, the first time I didn't, the noodles turned to mush in the oven and the texture was all wrong.
  • Don't skip the five-minute rest after baking, it seems small but it lets the sauce set up so you can actually serve neat portions instead of soupy spoonfuls.
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan, the pre-shredded kind has anti-caking agents that make the sauce grainy instead of smooth.
03 -
  • If you want a lighter version, swap half the heavy cream for half-and-half, it's still creamy but not quite as rich.
  • For extra flavor, toss a handful of Italian seasoning or red pepper flakes into the sauce while it simmers.
  • Assemble the whole casserole in the morning, cover it, and refrigerate it until dinner, then just pop it in the oven when you're ready to eat.
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