Cheesy, creamy Chicken Alfredo Casserole is an irresistible family favorite! When you’re craving comfort food, this is it! It’s a make-ahead dump-and-bake dish great for potlucks, covered dish suppers, weeknight meals, or feeding a crowd.
And if you’re as obsessed with ooey-gooey cheesy pasta, you have to try my Baked Spaghetti, Pizza Pasta Casserole, or Taco Spaghetti Bake.
Every home cook must have a special dish to serve when guests come over yet simple enough to whip up when you want to gather your family around the supper table after a busy day. That’s where this Chicken Alfredo Bake shines! It’s a comfort food masterpiece that gets rave reviews every time I serve it!
Why You’ll Love This Dump And Bake Casserole
- Make-Ahead Friendly—You can prep this casserole up to 3 days in advance or freeze it for up to 3 months. This makes it perfect for gifting to new parents or making a double batch for dinner (one to eat and one for later).
- Classic Comfort Food – This dish has everything you want from a casserole: cheese, pasta, and protein to make it hearty and delicious.
- Homemade Alfredo – My take on homemade Alfredo sauce is so easy and delicious that you’ll never buy the stuff in a jar again. It’s loaded with cheese and seasoned just as you like it, without any additives.
Chicken Alfredo Bake Ingredients
- This dish consists of penne pasta, cooked chicken, parmesan cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Leftover or rotisserie chicken will also work, and it’s OK to use all cuts—chicken breast, thighs, etc.
- The sauce is made from butter, flour, garlic, nutmeg, milk, and heavy cream. Nutmeg is a classic French addition that adds lovely warm notes to the bake.
What Kind Of Pasta Is Best To Use?
You can substitute just about any pasta in this recipe. Ziti, farfalle, shells or rigatoni work great.
Recipe Variations
- Swap the Protein: Replace the chicken with cooked shrimp.
- Add Veggies: Turn this into a chicken broccoli alfredo casserole by adding steamed broccoli. Other veggies like mushrooms, tomatoes, or spinach are also yummy.
- Cheese Alternatives: Change the cheese by adding smoked gouda or grated romano.
- More Meat: Add in chopped cooked bacon, sausage or ham for a little extra meatiness.
Step By Step Instructions
- Prepare the Casserole: Cook the pasta, make the sauce, and prep the chicken.
- Mix Everything Together: Pour the sauce over the pasta and chicken, mixing well. Pour all the ingredients into the prepared baking dish, then top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake It: Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is golden on top. Remove from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes, then serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley for garnish!
Frequently Asked Questions
I use a 3 to 4-quart baking pan. You can use a round, square, or rectangle pan that you have on hand. This casserole or bake also works beautifully in a metal disposable pan if you take it to a potluck or covered dish supper.
Yes, you sure can! I often make it the night before I want to serve it. I make the whole recipe, cover the dish with foil, and refrigerate it. When I want to serve it, I reheat it at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.
Yes, you can freeze it before or after baking. Just wrap it tightly in foil and then in plastic wrap. It will stay in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you want to enjoy it, just let it thaw in the fridge overnight, then bake.
Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
What To Serve With Chicken Alfredo Pasta
For a quick and easy dinner, serve it with easy Roasted Broccoli, Air-Fried Brussels Sprouts, or Skillet Green Beans. For a hearty lunch, try it with this Carrot Apple Salad or Avocado Tomato Salad.
More Easy Comfort Food Recipes
If you tried this Chicken Alfredo Bake Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked pasta – 1 box cooked according to package directions
- 3 cups cooked chicken – chopped
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons garlic – minced
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese – grated
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese – grated
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 3-4 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Place cooked pasta and chicken in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 15 seconds. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Add in milk, cream, nutmeg, and pepper.
- Add Parmesan cheese and half of the mozzarella. Stir until cheese has melted and sauce is thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over pasta and chicken. Mix well. Pour all ingredients into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is golden on top.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve.
Notes
-
- Swap the Protein: Replace the chicken with cooked shrimp.
-
- Add Veggies: Turn this into a chicken broccoli alfredo casserole by adding steamed broccoli. Other veggies like mushrooms, tomatoes, or spinach are also yummy.
-
- Cheese Alternatives: Change the cheese by adding smoked gouda or grated romano.
-
- More Meat: Add in chopped cooked bacon, sausage or ham for a little extra meatiness.
Nutrition
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My husband loved it and he said to make it next week just for him
Sounds like it was a hit, enjoy! Thanks for leaving a review! ~Donya
I’ve made Chicken Alfredo Bake several times and it is simply delicious. I’m wondering if it freezes and reheats well.
It freezes beautifully!
Enjoy,
~Donya
What can I use instead of mozzarella? I don’t like it. I find it chewy and tasteless.
Made this for the first time for my in laws and they loved it. Requested it again for a huge party! Thank you and wish me luck!
Sounds delish but I haven’t made it yet. The sauce doesn’t separate when made ahead and reheated?
Nope – turns out great.
~Donya
Hi what is the make ahead directions? Thanks so much it sounds delicious
Make ahead, cover, then bake as directed.
~Donya
Can you put broccoli in with the bake?
Hey there Kim!
Yeah absolutely, that sounds like a great idea! I love broccoli with chicken alfredo, I think it’s the perfect combination. I would add the broccoli right before you bake it, add it in raw since it will cook perfectly in the oven. I hope this helps, let me know how it turns out!
~Donya
I am assuming the longer reheating time is because the already cooked casserole has been chilled. Do you reheat it covered or uncovered?
Good Morning!
Yes! The longer reheating time is because it has been completely chilled. I reheat mine covered up with tinfoil for about 30-40 minutes, and then I like to sprinkle some extra cheese on top and let that melt uncovered in the oven for 5-15 minutes. I hope this helps, enjoy!
~Donya
This recipe looks amazing! Can it be made without chicken (meatless)? If so, does there need to be any alteration to the sauce?
Thanks!
Hey there Trish!
Thank you so much for your interest in this recipe, this is one of my favorites to make during the week when I am short on time. You can absolutely make this recipe vegetarian, you don’t need to change the sauce recipe or directions at all, apart from leaving out the chicken. Make the sauce as directed, cook the pasta based on the directions on the back of the box, and then bake and enjoy! I really hope you like this recipe, let me know what you think if you end up trying it. Thank you so much for your support!
~Donya
Thanks, Donya for your quick reply! I will definitely let you know how we like it….sounds delicious and LOVE that it can be made ahead without separating!
– Trish
Hey there!
No problem, I always try to respond to comments within at least 24 hours. I am excited to see how you like it, I also LOVE that you can prepare it ahead of time, it takes a lot of pressure off during the week. Thanks again for your interest in the recipe, please let me know how it goes!
~Donya
Amazing dinner Sonya! Yum yum yum. Didn’t change a thing.
Thanks a million, this one is a keeper?
Hi! I have two questions: Did you add parsley on top (per picture)? And, do you recommend allowing it to cool before refrigerating?
It smells amazing! I added baby spinach once the sauce had thickened. I can’t wait to have this tomorrow. I am also doing the side salad and garlic rolls. Yum!!!
Hey there Rebecca!
Let me just start off by saying, thank you so much for your fantastic rating and your interest in this recipe! These are great questions! I do normally put the parsley just on top of the dish as a garnish. And I’d say yes, I would recommend you let the dish cool down before refrigerating, just enough so that you can pick it up without potholders. It sounds like you’ve prepared quite the meal, I really hope you enjoy this recipe! Thanks for your support!
~Donya
Definitely a 5 star recipe! Thank you for always answering recipe questions so quickly! Have a great week.
Hey there Rebecca!
Thank you so very much for both your kind words and your phenomenal rating! I’m thrilled you enjoyed this Alfredo Bake, I swear I’ll eat just about anything made with Alfredo, it’s definitely a favorite. And of course, I love answering y’all’s comments! I usually answer my comments everyday sometime between 1:00pm and 5:30pm; I might not always answer right away, but I will always answer the same day. I really love seeing what recipes people are making and answering any questions, y’all truly warm my heart! Thank you so much for your support, I hope you have a great week too!
~Donya