Creamy Chicken Alfredo Bake (Printable)
Tender chicken and pasta in a luscious Alfredo sauce, topped with a golden, bubbly mozzarella crust.
# Ingredient List:
→ Meats
01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
→ Pasta
02 - 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta
→ Sauce
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 cups heavy cream
06 - 1 cup whole milk
07 - 1 ¼ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
08 - ½ teaspoon salt
09 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
10 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
→ Cheese Crust
11 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
12 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Optional Garnishes
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook penne or rigatoni according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add minced garlic and sauté for approximately 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to brown.
04 - Pour the heavy cream and whole milk into the skillet, bringing to a gentle simmer. Stir in 1 ¼ cups Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and ground nutmeg. Continue stirring for 4–5 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce has thickened to a silky consistency.
05 - Add the shredded or diced cooked chicken and drained pasta to the Alfredo sauce. Toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated.
06 - Transfer the entire mixture into the prepared 9x13-inch baking dish, spreading it out into an even layer.
07 - Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup grated Parmesan evenly across the entire surface to form the cheese crust.
08 - Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes until the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbling. For a crispier, more caramelized crust, broil for an additional 2–3 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
09 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes to allow the sauce to set. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired, then serve warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- That mozzarella crust forms a golden lid that stretches when you pull it apart and honestly it is the kind of thing that makes people close their eyes when they take the first bite.
- It reheats beautifully the next day which means you get to experience the joy twice with almost zero effort.
02 -
- Do not walk away during the broil step because the line between perfectly golden and irreversibly charred is about ninety seconds wide.
- Undercooking the pasta by one minute before baking is the single thing that separates a bake with real texture from a mushy disappointment.
03 -
- Grate your own Parmesan from a wedge instead of using the green can because the difference in how smoothly the sauce comes together is dramatic and immediate.
- A tiny pinch of nutmeg in cream sauces is a restaurant trick that makes people think you studied cooking somewhere formal when really you just read it on the back of a spice jar.