Enjoy comfort food at its best with this Chicken Alfredo Bake. It combines already baked rotisserie chicken with cavatappi pasta in a creamy alfredo sauce topped with melty Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
Course main meal pasta
Cuisine Italian American
Keyword baked chicken alfredo, baked chicken alfredo recipe, how to make baked chicken alfredo
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 35 minutesminutes
Servings 6servings
Calories 957kcal
Author Beth Pierce
Ingredients
12ouncescavatappi or penne pasta
5tablespoonsbutter
3garlic clovesminced
1teaspoonItalian seasoning
2cupsheavy cream
½teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
2cupsgrated parmesan
4ouncescream cheese cut into small cubes
2 ½cupsdiced cooked chicken breast or chicken thighs
2cupsmozzarella cheeseshredded
Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning, Cook for 1 minute while stirring continuously. Add the heavy whipping cream and simmer until slightly thickened. Do not boil.
While the whipping cream is reducing, cook the pasta al dente and drain well.
Once the whipping cream is reduced, whisk in the salt and freshly ground black pepper. Reduce the heat as low as it will go and whisk in 1 1/2 cups of Parmesan cheese a little bit at a time until smooth and creamy. Add the cream cheese and cook until it melts, stirring frequently.
In a greased 9x13 inch casserole dish, stir together the cooked cavatappi, alfredo sauce, and cooked chicken. Spread evenly in the dish and top with the mozzarella cheese and the remaining Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the casserole is heated through. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley
Notes
You can use several different pasta shapes in this recipe, such as linguine, fettuccine, medium shells, penne, rigatoni, or ziti. The cooking time might vary by a few minutes so check the packaging.
Simmer the cream. Do not boil it.
Any cooked chicken works for this recipe, including rotisserie chicken, poached chicken, roasted chicken, or even grilled chicken.
Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
As with most homemade alfredo recipes, this dish is best enjoyed promptly. Alfredo sauce has a tendency to soak into pasta even if the pasta is cooked al dente.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. For best results, reheat in the microwave at reduced power.
To freeze, first, cool completely, then cover with several layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave.