Baked Chicken Alfredo

This recipe is quick and easy and any novice cook can do it. It was made for the little ones who always wanted to order out at Pizza Hut® or Olive Garden®. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese if desired. This recipe can also be eaten without being baked but the kids love that it resembles baked casseroles found in restaurants.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 58

Total Time 1 8

Course lunch/dinner

Cuisine Italian

Servings 10 people

Calories 4969.5 kcal

Equipment

1 Large Pot For cooking pasta
1 Large Saucepan For preparing Alfredo sauce
1 Large Skillet For cooking chicken breasts
1 9x13 inch Casserole Dish For baking the assembled dish
1 Instant-Read Thermometer For ensuring chicken is cooked to 165°F (74°C)

Ingredients

Main

1 16 ounce package penne pasta
½ cup butter
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 cups milk
6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese divided
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt divided
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 chicken breasts patted dry
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic; saute until golden, about 30 seconds. Stir in cream cheese until smooth. Add milk; stir until there are no lumps. Lower heat to medium. Add 3/4 of the Parmesan cheese, parsley, Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and garlic powder on both sides. Cook chicken breasts until no longer pink in the center and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), about 6 minutes per side. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch cubes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Butter bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Cover bottom with a layer of pasta. Place half of the chicken cubes on top. Pour 1/2 of the sauce over the chicken. Repeat layering pasta, chicken, and sauce. Sprinkle top with remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake in the preheated oven until sauce is bubbly, about 15 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and bake until cheese is golden, about 5 minutes more.

Notes

For a truly smooth Alfredo sauce, ensure your cream cheese is at room temperature before adding. Whisk vigorously when incorporating milk to prevent lumps. Don't overcrowd the skillet when cooking chicken; cook in batches if necessary for an even sear. Enhance the richness of the sauce with a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. To achieve an even more golden, bubbly crust, consider finishing under a broiler for the last minute or two, watching carefully to prevent burning.