Made with 3 kinds of cheese, this creamy chicken alfredo bake is packed with juicy chicken and melty cheese for the perfect easy weeknight dinner. Even with a homemade alfredo sauce, it’s still super quick to make!
Easy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake
Tossed in a quick homemade alfredo sauce, this cheesy chicken alfredo bake is proof that homemade is always better. Baked to melty perfection in an oven-safe skillet, this recipe is as creamy as it is easy— which you’ll appreciate on any weeknight.
With juicy chicken and penne pasta in every bite, the homemade alfredo sauce just ties it all together. Made with parmesan, cream cheese, and mozzarella, can it get any better? Yes, yes it can. There’s also garlic, heavy cream, and butter. For some smokiness, you can even add bacon!
Topped with fresh parsley for a pop of color, this pasta bake with hints of Italian seasoning is just waiting to come out of your oven. It’s the recipe that’ll make you fire it up every night— especially with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes on top.
What You’ll Need
Time to load up on cheese! Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for full ingredient amounts.
For the Chicken and Pasta
- Chicken breasts – Feel free to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead.
- Salt and pepper
- Italian seasoning
- Olive oil – Vegetable, corn, and canola oil work too.
- Penne pasta – Your favorite short pasta shape is amazing with this recipe.
- Parsley – Basil works too.
For the Alfredo Sauce
- Butter – I prefer unsalted butter because cheese already has a high sodium content.
- Heavy cream – You can also use half & half. Don’t use sour cream or milk.
- Garlic – 3 teaspoons of garlic powder are a good substitute.
- Parmesan cheese – Make sure to use freshly grated Parmesan cheese, not the kind that is in the shaker can that doesn’t require refrigeration.
- Cream cheese – Full-fat or low-fat is okay.
- Mozzarella cheese – Any mild, melty cheese works.
Easy Variations & Add-Ins
Adding veggies, using bacon, swapping the protein, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes can transform this easy dish into other yummy versions of it.
- Add bacon. Dice 3-4 bacon strips and cook them until crispy. Remove them from the heat and set the bacon aside. Use the fat to cook the chicken in. Mix the bacon into the pasta ingredients right before baking and give this recipe a smokey kick.
- Make it spicy. Sprinkling red pepper flakes to taste over the pasta (or into the sauce) will give it a bit of heat.
- Use turkey. Turkey breasts are a yummy swap for chicken in this recipe.
- Add mushrooms. Sliced mushrooms are a great veggie add-in.
- Ranch. If you are a ranch fan, skip the Italian seasonings and instead add a teaspoon or two of dried ranch seasoning (the kind in the ranch seasoning packet sold next to the salad dressings).
How to Make Chicken Alfredo Casserole
Cook the chicken, make the sauce, toss it, and bake. That’s it!
- Prepare the chicken. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning on all sides. Set it aside.
- Cook it. Pour the olive oil in a large oven-safe pan. Let it heat for 1 minute. Add the chicken and let it cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until golden-brown. Remove it from the heat and set it aside. Don’t use a regular pan or the handle will melt.
- Make the sauce. Melt the butter in the same pan. Use a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to gently scrape the bottom to remove any browned bits sticking to the pan. Add the heavy cream. Let it simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the parmesan. Add the garlic into the pan. Let it cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add 1 1/2 cups of parmesan cheese and whisk the sauce until the cheese is fully melted.
- Add the other cheeses. Add the cream cheese and 1/2 cup of mozzarella to the sauce. Stir until fully melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove it from the heat and set it aside.
- Toss the pasta. Add the pasta and chicken into the sauce. Mix to combine. If you don’t have an oven-safe pan, transfer the mixture to a baking casserole.
- Bake it. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese over the top of the pasta. Bake it for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with freshly chopped parsley.
Tips for Success
These tips will help you make the best sauce and reduce clean-up when you’re done.
- Reduce clean-up. If you use an oven-safe skillet, this recipe can go straight from the stove top to the oven and reduce the number of dishes you have to clean.
- Use fresh parmesan. Make sure you are using freshly grated parmesan cheese. If you use the kind in a green bottle, it will have preservatives that will thicken the sauce. Add a little extra cream as needed to get it to your desired consistency.
- Strain it. If you’re not sure the cheese is fully melted, you can always strain the sauce to make sure it’s extra smooth.
- Line the dish. If you’re using a baking dish, line it with foil before transferring the pasta into it. This way you can just throw it out when you’re done and reduce clean-up too.
What to Serve with Chicken Alfredo Casserole
Since it’s already got pasta, I like to pair this dish with lighter veggie sides, salads, and soups. Nothing particularly creamy so that the meal isn’t overwhelmingly rich.
For an easy veggie side, try my Air Fryer Asparagus or Easy Roasted Mushrooms. For light salads, go for my Greek Salad or Green Bean Salad. Finally, pair it with a warm bowl of my Vegetable Soup, Tomato Soup, or Sausage and Kale Soup with White Beans. A hunk of warm Goat Cheese Garlic Bread would also go great!
Can This Be Assembled In Advance?
Yes! Assemble it up to 2 days in advance and just pop it into the oven right before serving for a quick meal. Cover it with foil or plastic wrap to keep it from drying out in the fridge.
It’s extra prep-friendly if you make the sauce up to 3 days in advance or cook the chicken up to 2 days before.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Once fully cooled, refrigerate the leftovers for up to 3 days. Keep it away from heat and sunlight when it’s on the counter for reheating. You should also keep it away from onions and other strong-smelling foods to avoid the transfer of odors.
To reheat it, sprinkle the pasta with 1-2 teaspoons of water or milk and microwave it for up to a minute or until warm. You can also heat it on the stove over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. The oven is a good option for larger portions. Preheat it to 350°F and bake it for 10 minutes or until warm.
More Easy Chicken Pasta Recipes
- Chicken, Artichoke and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
- Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad
- Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
- Loaded Cajun Chicken Pasta
- Cajun Chicken Alfredo
Chicken Alfredo Bake
This creamy chicken alfredo bake with melty cheese and homemade sauce is the perfect weeknight dinner. It's ready in less than an hour!
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 oz penne pasta, cooked and drained
- Parsley, optional garnish
For the Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Mix the chicken, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning in a medium size bowl.
- Heat olive oil in a large, oven safe skillet and cook the chicken for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until each piece of chicken is a golden-brown. Remove the pieces of chicken and set them aside.
- For the alfredo sauce, melt the butter in the same pan and scrape up any chicken pieces stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Then pour in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.
- Add in the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, or until it becomes fragrant. Then whisk in 1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese until fully melted.
- Next add in the cream cheese, ½ cup of mozzarella, salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine, then remove the skillet from the heat. Set aside.
- Toss the cooked pasta into the alfredo sauce in the oven safe skillet. Add the cooked chicken and mix until each piece is coated in the creamy sauce. (If you don’t have an oven safe skillet, you can transfer the pasta to a casserole dish for baking.)
- Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese over the top of the pasta.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve with freshly chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate the leftovers for up to 3 days. To reheat it, sprinkle the pasta with 1-2 teaspoons of water or milk and microwave it for up to a minute or until warm. You can also heat it on the stove over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. The oven is a good option for larger portions. Preheat it to 350°F and bake it for 10 minutes or until warm.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1154Total Fat: 76gSaturated Fat: 40gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 334mgSodium: 1761mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 84g
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