Creamy Chicken Alfredo Bake (Printable)
Chicken and pasta baked in a creamy Alfredo sauce with a golden mozzarella crust.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 3 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded (rotisserie or poached)
→ Pasta
02 - 12 oz penne or rigatoni, cooked al dente
→ Dairy & Cheeses
03 - 2 cups heavy cream
04 - 1½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (for topping)
06 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 1½ cups milk
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
→ Seasonings
10 - ½ tsp salt
11 - ½ tsp black pepper
12 - ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
13 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (optional)
14 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the finely chopped onion and minced garlic, sautéing for 2–3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
03 - Pour the heavy cream and milk into the skillet. Simmer gently, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Do not allow the mixture to come to a full boil.
04 - Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and ground nutmeg. Continue cooking for 3–4 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce has thickened to a silky consistency.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked penne, diced chicken, and the prepared Alfredo sauce. Add the dried Italian herbs if using. Toss everything together until evenly coated.
06 - Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese uniformly across the top.
07 - Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes, until the mozzarella crust is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
08 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The mozzarella crust gets beautifully golden and stretchy, making every serving feel like pulling a slice of heaven.
- Rotisserie chicken means you can pull the whole thing together without breaking a sweat on busy weeknights.
- That pinch of nutmeg in the Alfredo sauce is a quiet little trick that makes people close their eyes at the dinner table.
02 -
- Always simmer the cream gently and never let it boil, because boiling causes the dairy proteins to separate into a curdled mess.
- Grating your own Parmesan from a block rather than using the green can makes a dramatic difference in how smoothly it melts into the sauce.
03 -
- Cook your pasta one minute less than the package says because it will continue cooking in the oven and nobody wants mushy pasta buried under cheese.
- Shred the mozzarella yourself from a block rather than buying pre shredded for a melt that is dramatically smoother and more stretchy.