This baked Chicken Alfredo Casserole is the perfect weeknight dinner! Made with a homemade alfredo sauce to toss your pasta, chicken and broccoli.
Just assemble and bake it to create this simple family-friendly meal. Everyone will love the delicious combination of ingredients in this cheesy pasta bake!
This easy casserole recipe has all the flavors of classic alfredo pasta but without all the hard work!
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My family loves this casserole. The homemade alfredo sauce makes it extra special and it's filled with lots of flavor. If you are in a pinch and need to save time, you can use your favorite store-bought brand of alfredo sauce.
We usually keep it simple and serve this with these homemade dinner rolls. Another great recipe with chicken and broccoli is this Ranch Cheddar Chicken and Broccoli Bake.
Using simple ingredients, you can whip up your own from-scratch chicken alfredo bake for dinner tonight.
Ingredients
See printable recipe card below for all ingredients, specific measurements, and complete instructions.
- Butter
- Minced garlic
- Italian seasoning
- Heavy whipping cream
- Parmesan cheese
- Penne pasta
- Frozen broccoli
- Cooked chicken
Even though this casserole is prepared with a from-scratch sauce, you won’t be spending hours in the kitchen getting it ready! All you have to do is follow a few quick and easy steps to whip up this creamy dinner in minutes.
How To Make Chicken Alfredo Casserole
Before you can start getting your casserole ready for baking, you’ll need to take a few minutes to prepare the ingredients.
First, boil the pasta according to the package instructions and follow the instructions on the broccoli package to cook the frozen broccoli. Then, dice or shred your cooked chicken.
Once all the other ingredients are ready, you can start cooking your homemade alfredo sauce. First, place the butter in a large skillet and melt over medium heat.
When the butter is melted, add the minced garlic and Italian seasoning and cook for around one minute, until the garlic is fragrant.
Then, add the heavy cream to the pan and whisk to combine the cream with the butter. Continue cooking until the cream begins to simmer.
Next, add the parmesan cheese to the pan and stir to mix. Continue cooking, whisking often, until the cheese is melted and well mixed into the sauce.
Now that your sauce is ready to go, add the cooked pasta, broccoli, and chicken to the pan. Stir to mix, making sure to coat all the ingredient in the sauce.
Transfer the alfredo mixture to a large baking dish and top it with more parmesan cheese.
Then, bake your casserole in the oven at 350 degrees for around 30 minutes, until the sauce begins to bubble and the cheese on top is melted.
Recipe Tips
- This recipe is a great way to use up any leftover chicken you have. Grilled chicken, boiled or baked chicken are all great options. To save time you can even use a store bought rotisserie chicken.
- If you don't have Parmesan cheese you can use Romano or Asiago cheese instead.
- Don't overcook the pasta. Follow package directions for cooking al dente. The pasta will continue cooking in the oven.
How To Thicken Alfredo Sauce
You need to have a nice and creamy alfredo sauce to mix into your casserole ingredients. Ending up with a runny sauce is disappointing. If you make a mistake or use store-bought sauce that is too thin don't worry. It can be fixed.
There are a couple of steps you can take to help thicken your sauce before you mix it in with the rest of your ingredients.
- Add more cheese. The best way to thicken your sauce is to simply add more parmesan cheese. As the cheese melts, it will help the sauce become thicker and creamier. While the recipe calls for two cups of parmesan cheese, you can add more if you want your sauce to be thicker.
- Use cream cheese. If you don’t have enough parmesan cheese on hand, you can also add a small amount of cream cheese to the skillet to help thicken the sauce. Start by adding one ounce and stirring until the cheese is melted. Then, add more as needed until your desired consistency is reached.
- Mix in cornstarch. Another option for thickening your sauce without added cheese is to add a cornstarch slurry. Combine two tablespoons cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold water, then add it to the pan. Whisk until the sauce begins to thicken.
Best Type of Pasta for Casseroles
While alfredo sauce is typically served with fettuccini, the long and flat pasta isn’t a great choice when you are baking a casserole. Long noodles can easily begin to stick together as they bake, causing them to become chewy.
Small, thick pastas are perfect for casseroles because they hold up well to baking. I recommend using pasta varieties such as penne, ziti, rigatoni or rotini.
Frequently Asked Questions
Prepping casseroles in advance is great way to help lighten your workload at dinner time. And this casserole can easily be made ahead of time.
Simply combine all the ingredients in the pan as written in the recipe, then cover the pan and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When cooking the casserole, add five to 10 minutes to the cook time to ensure the cold casserole is fully cooked.
This delicious meal makes great leftovers! If you have some left when dinner is over, simply transfer the pasta to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can reheat the pasta in the microwave or in the oven at 350 degrees.
If you love easy casseroles here are a few more to try!
- Ham and Cheese Casserole
- Stuffed Pepper Casserole
- Chicken And Noodle Casserole
- Easy Hamburger Potato Casserole
Chicken Alfredo Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 3 cups shredded parmesan cheese, divided
- 8 ounces penne pasta, prepared
- 12 ounce package frozen broccoli florets, prepared
- 2 cups cooked chicken, diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare frozen broccoli florets according to package directions. Set aside.
- Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the garlic and Italian seasoning, and sauté for one minute.
- Pour in the heavy whipping cream and whisk to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and continue cooking for two minutes, then add 2 cups of parmesan cheese and whisk until all the cheese is melted. Remove the pan from heat.
- Stir in the cooked pasta, broccoli, and chicken. Mix to combine, then transfer to the prepared dish.
- Top with the remaining parmesan cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese on top is melted.