Chicken Alfredo Bake (Printable)

A comforting blend of tender chicken, creamy Alfredo sauce, pasta, and golden melted cheese.

# 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 chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a 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. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute.
05 - Gradually whisk in milk and heavy cream, stirring until smooth. Cook 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in Parmesan, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
06 - Add cooked pasta and chicken to the sauce, mixing to combine evenly.
07 - Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Evenly sprinkle mozzarella and additional Parmesan on top.
08 - Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and golden brown.
09 - Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes like you spent all afternoon on it.
  • The creamy Alfredo sauce coats every piece of pasta in pure comfort, and the melted cheese on top is absolutely golden.
  • You can have everything prepped and in the oven while you set the table or pour a drink.
02 -
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese, not the pre-grated kind from a shaker—the real thing melts smoothly and tastes sharper, while the powdered version gets grainy and separates.
  • Cook your pasta to al dente, not soft, because it continues cooking in the oven and will turn mushy if you start with fully cooked pasta.
  • Stir your flour into the butter for a full minute before adding any liquid, or you'll end up with a sauce that tastes floury and breaks apart instead of staying silky.
03 -
  • Keep your sauce on medium heat and stir constantly to prevent it from breaking or separating—rushing into high heat is how silky sauce becomes grainy.
  • Always taste your Alfredo sauce before adding it to the pasta and chicken; this is your moment to adjust seasoning so the final dish is perfect.
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