Chicken Alfredo Bake
This Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Bake is made with ANY kind of pasta and a 15-minute Alfredo sauce with chicken and broccoli! Use leftover or rotisserie chicken for an easy shortcut and top it with breadcrumbs or crushed Ritz!
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 645kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 large chicken breast or 2 cups cooked/diced chicken
- salt/pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ lb. medium pasta shells can sub any kind of pasta
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
Alfredo Sauce
- 7 Tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3.5 cups half and half
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup Romano cheese shredded
Topping (optional)
- 1/2 cup Ritz crackers crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
Cook the Chicken
- Butterfly the chicken breast and cut the seam to create two thinner slices. Pat dry and season each side salt/pepper.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear until golden brown on each side, decrease heat if oil gets too hot. Each side will need 4-5 minutes.
- Remove chicken from heat and let it rest for 5-10 minutes prior to dicing into bite-size pieces.
Boil the Pasta
- Add 1/2 tbsp. of salt to 4-6 quarts of boiling water. Cook the pasta no more than the al dente point, (8 minutes for medium pasta shells), refer to box for specific time.
- Add the broccoli during the last 4 minutes of boiling. Drain.
Prepare the Sauce
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and heat for 1 minute.
- Whisk in the flour, heat for 1 minute.
- Gradually add the half and half. Allow it to come to a gentle bubble.
- Decrease heat to low and stir for 1-2 minutes.
- Gradually sprinkle in the Parmesan and Romano cheese, whisking continuously until well combined. Turn off heat.
Assemble the Casserole
- Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Stir in the chicken and steamed broccoli.
- Add to a lightly greased 9 x 13 casserole dish. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Bake
- Bake uncovered for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
- If desired, top with crushed Ritz crackers (or breadcrumbs), and bake for 5 more minutes.
- PRO TIP: Let the casserole sit for 5-10 minutes prior to serving. This allows the pasta to absorb the sauce and gives the piping hot casserole time to cool slightly prior to serving.
Notes
*Frozen broccoli may be substituted, no need to boil it. Just ensure it’s thawed and patted dry prior to adding to casserole.
You can use all Parmesan cheese if you don't have Romano.
This sauce will satisfy a full pound of pasta if you prefer. Since we're baking it, I like to have extra sauce so that it's not at all dry. This is especially important if you plan on having leftovers as the pasta will continue to absorb the sauce in the fridge.
You can use all Parmesan cheese if you don't have Romano.
This sauce will satisfy a full pound of pasta if you prefer. Since we're baking it, I like to have extra sauce so that it's not at all dry. This is especially important if you plan on having leftovers as the pasta will continue to absorb the sauce in the fridge.
Nutrition
Calories: 645kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 634mg | Potassium: 467mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1128IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 436mg | Iron: 1mg