Chicken Alfredo Creamy Bake (Printable version)

Tender chicken and pasta in a creamy Alfredo sauce topped with bubbly melted cheese.

# Ingredient list:

→ Pasta

01 - 14 oz penne or rigatoni pasta

→ 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)

# Step-by-step guide:

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 fully cooked, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
05 - Gradually whisk in whole milk and heavy cream, stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Cook for 3-4 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
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 and stir until evenly coated.
08 - Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Evenly sprinkle mozzarella and extra Parmesan cheese over the top.
09 - Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden brown.
10 - Let bake cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you spent the whole afternoon on it.
  • The creamy Alfredo sauce clings to every piece of pasta in a way that feels like pure luxury.
  • One pan feeds a whole family, and everyone goes back for seconds without fail.
02 -
  • Whisk the cream in slowly or you'll end up with a lumpy sauce that no amount of stirring can fix—learned that the hard way.
  • Don't cook the pasta all the way to tender; it keeps cooking in the oven and will turn mushy if you start with overcooked pasta.
  • The cheese on top needs those twenty-five minutes to turn golden—if you pull it out early, it's melted but pale and won't have that irresistible crust.
03 -
  • Toast your flour with the butter for a full minute so it tastes nutty and cooked, not raw and grainy.
  • Grate your Parmesan fresh and use whole milk instead of skim—both choices create a sauce that coats your mouth with real creaminess.
  • Pull the bake out when the cheese is just starting to brown on top; another minute past that and the edges get crispy in a way that can feel overdone.
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