Creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole (Printer-friendly)

A rich and creamy baked pasta dish featuring tender chicken, silky Alfredo sauce, and gooey mozzarella cheese.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz penne or ziti pasta

→ Chicken

02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded

→ Sauce

03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 cups heavy cream
06 - 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Cheese Topping

10 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Garnish

11 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
02 - Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and reserve.
03 - Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour heavy cream into saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Add Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until cheese melts completely and sauce becomes smooth.
05 - Add cooked chicken and drained pasta to the Alfredo sauce. Mix thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly.
06 - Transfer mixture into prepared baking dish. Distribute shredded mozzarella evenly across the top.
07 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until cheese is bubbling and golden brown.
08 - Allow casserole to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than ordering takeout and tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen.
  • The creamy sauce clings to every piece of pasta, and that bubbly golden cheese on top is impossible to resist.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, so you can enjoy it twice without any extra effort.
02 -
  • Undercook the pasta by a minute or two, it will absorb sauce and finish cooking in the oven, and mushy pasta ruins this dish.
  • Use freshly grated Parmesan instead of the pre-shredded kind, which has anti-caking agents that make the sauce grainy instead of smooth.
  • Let the casserole rest before serving, cutting into it too soon makes the sauce run everywhere instead of clinging to the pasta.
03 -
  • Season your pasta water generously with salt, it should taste like the sea, because this is your only chance to season the pasta itself.
  • If the sauce looks too thick before baking, stir in a splash of pasta water to loosen it, the starch helps everything cling together.
  • Use a mix of mozzarella and a little extra Parmesan on top for deeper flavor and better browning.
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