• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to privacy navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Jo Cooks

Simple - Easy - Comfort

Join my free recipe email club!
Free eBook
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
    • The Big Book of Jo’s Quick and Easy Meals
    • 30-Minute One-Pot Meals
  • ABOUT JO
  • Contact
  • Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube
  • Dinner Ideas
  • Instant Pot
  • Slow Cooker
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • One Pot
  • Desserts
Home / Recipes
30 minutes
4.66 from 40 votes
35 Comments

Easy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake

Jump to RecipePrint Recipe
  • 1448
by: Joanna Cismaru
06.01.21

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

pin for chicken alfredo pasta bake.

This Easy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake is a simple, no-fuss dinner that you can easily make right at home with very few ingredients and ready in just 30 minutes. Plus, it’s a definite crowd pleaser for even the pickiest eaters.

chicken alfredo pasta bake fresh out of the oven with a serving spoon inside.

I love simple dinner recipes like this, dinners that you can literally put together in only 30 minutes. This is perfect, especially after a long hard day at work. All you really need is butter, flour and Parmesan cheese, ingredients that you most likely already have in the house. I wanted to make this a bit heartier though so that we wouldn’t be hungry half hour after eating it, so I added some chicken.

Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake

  • Quick and Easy Prepping Steps
  • Simple Pantry Ingredients
  • Crowd Pleaser
  • Creamy Sauce
  • Ready in Just 30 Minutes
chicken alfredo pasta in a bowl with a fork in it.

We can all agree that pasta is almost always the answer to ‘what should we eat tonight?’ right? I say almost because sometimes you just want to switch things up a little, and a pasta bake is the perfect way to do just that and still have everyone love what you’re prepping for dinner.

This dish will work with many other types of pasta if you have some in the pantry you’d like to use up. The Alfredo sauce is just so delicious, it’s good with anything! I like to use a shaped pasta so that there’s lots of ridges for the sauce to cling to, I especially recommend something smaller like penne, fusilli, elbow, or bowtie.

Ingredient Notes

overhead shot of ingredients needed to make chicken alfredo pasta bake.
  • Pasta – Use a small shaped pasta such as penne, elbow or shells.
  • Butter – Unsalted as to control the sodium content of our dish.
  • Chicken – Boneless and skinless chicken breast, cubed up into bite sized pieces. You can also use chicken thighs as well.
  • Cheese – Shredded mozzarella and Parmesan.
  • Flour –  Just a bit of all purpose to help thicken up our sauce, for gluten free feel free to use cornstarch instead.
  • Cream – We’re using heavy cream to form a beautiful creamy sauce.
  • Pasta water – The starch in the pasta water will help our sauce thicken, be sure to grab some before draining the pasta.
  • Seasoning – Salt and pepper.
  • Parsley – Minced up nice and fine and sprinkled liberally over top.

How To Make Easy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake

process shots showing how to cook chicken and make alfredo sauce.
  1. Prepare the pasta: Turn your broiler on. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
  2. Cook the chicken: In a large skillet melt 1 tbsp of the butter. Add chicken pieces and cook just until chicken is no longer pink and is beginning to slightly brown. Remove chicken from skillet.
  3. Make the sauce: In the same skillet, add remaining butter and melt it. Pour the heavy cream in the skillet and whisk it. Add the flour and continue whisking until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper and add the Parmesan cheese. Continue whisking. By now the sauce should be pretty thick, use some of the pasta water to thin it out a bit. Add chicken and pasta to skillet and toss well.
  4. Finish the dish: Top with mozzarella cheese and place under the broiler for about 5 minutes until cheese is bubbly and gets golden brown, checking often to make sure the top doesn’t burn. Garnish with parsley and more Parmesan cheese if preferred.
process shots showing how to finish chicken alfredo pasta bake.

FAQ’s and Expert Tips

FAQ’s

Can I use different types of pasta?

This dish will work with many other types of pasta if you have some in the pantry you’d like to use up. The Alfredo sauce is just so delicious, it’s good with anything! I like to use a small shaped pasta so that there’s lots of ridges for the sauce to cling to, I especially recommend something smaller like penne, fusilli, elbow, or bowtie.

Why Do We Use Pasta Water?

Pasta water will add flavor and seasoning to your dish (you’re always making sure to salt your pasta water right?). It will also help thicken our sauce and ensure the sauce sticks to our pasta. It will also add a sheen to your sauce, so be sure to always reserve a little bit! This is the secret to all great pasta sauces.

How to serve this pasta?

This rich, creamy dish pairs beautifully with light and simple sides like salads and roasted veggies. This pasta bake is completely satisfying on its own so if you’d rather just curl up on the couch with a big old bowl, I won’t stop you. Or you can add on the side some of these:
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Greek Salad
Mediterranean Couscous Salad
Kale And Quinoa Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette
Tabbouleh Salad
Italian Roasted Mushrooms And Veggies

chicken alfredo pasta bake fresh out of the oven with a serving spoon inside.

Expert Tips

  1. The sauce will seem thin when you start to mix in the pasta. Don’t worry, just keep tossing. The starches from the pasta will mix into the sauce to give the the perfect consistency. If you use flour or cornstarch to thicken the sauce, it may come out with a gluey consistency once it’s cooled down a bit.
  2. You can add a few tsp of Italian seasoning, a pinch of nutmeg or red pepper flakes to add some flare to this sauce. Feel free to get creative with seasoning.
  3. You can adjust the ratio of cream to milk in this recipe to suit how rich you’d like it to be.
chicken alfredo pasta in a bowl with a fork in it.

Leftovers

You can store this recipe easily in the fridge. In an airtight container it’ll keep for 3 – 5 days just be sure it’s properly cooled before storing. Unfortunately this dish doesn’t freeze well so I recommend either making it day of or a few days before and storing in the fridge.

chicken alfredo pasta bake fresh out of the oven with a serving spoon inside.

More Delicious Recipes To Try

  • Pasta Shells with Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce
  • Cajun Shrimp with Tomato Alfredo Pasta
  • Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
  • One Pot Creamy Parmesan Pasta

Looking for more recipes? Follow on… My Newsletter Pinterest Facebook Instagram

chicken alfredo pasta bake fresh out of the oven with a serving spoon inside.

Easy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake

4.66 from 40 votes
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 30 mins
Author: Joanna Cismaru
Serves: 6
Print Pin Rate
This Easy Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake is a simple, no-fuss dinner that you can easily make right at home with very few ingredients and ready in just 30 minutes. Plus, it's a definite crowd pleaser for even the pickiest eaters.

Equipment

  • 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

  • 16 ounce pasta uncooked, I used elbow macaroni
  • 3 tablespoon butter unsalted
  • 1 chicken breast cut into small pieces
  • 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • parsley for garnish
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Prepare the pasta: Turn your broiler on. Cook pasta according to package instructions.
  • Cook the chicken: In a large skillet melt 1 tbsp of the butter. Add chicken pieces and cook just until chicken is no longer pink and is beginning to slightly brown. Remove chicken from skillet.
  • Make the sauce: In the same skillet, add remaining butter and melt it. Pour the heavy cream in the skillet and whisk it. Add the flour and continue whisking until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper and add the Parmesan cheese. Continue whisking. By now the sauce should be pretty thick, use some of the pasta water to thin it out a bit. Add chicken and pasta to skillet and toss well.
  • Finish the dish: Top with mozzarella cheese and place under the broiler for about 5 minutes until cheese is bubbly and gets golden brown, checking often to make sure the top doesn't burn.
  • Garnish and serve: Garnish with parsley and more Parmesan cheese if preferred.

Recipe Notes

  1. The sauce will seem thin when you start to mix in the pasta. Don’t worry, just keep tossing. The starches from the pasta will mix into the sauce to give the the perfect consistency. If you use flour or cornstarch to thicken the sauce, it may come out with a gluey consistency once it’s cooled down a bit.
  2. You can add a few tsp of Italian seasoning, a pinch of nutmeg or red pepper flakes to add some flare to this sauce. Feel free to get creative with seasoning.
  3. You can adjust the ratio of cream to milk in this recipe to suit how rich you’d like it to be.
  4. You can store this recipe easily in the fridge. In an airtight container it’ll keep for 3 – 5 days just be sure it’s properly cooled before storing. Unfortunately this dish doesn’t freeze well so I recommend either making it day of or a few days before and storing in the fridge.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 604kcal (30%)Carbohydrates: 60g (20%)Protein: 24g (48%)Fat: 29g (45%)Saturated Fat: 18g (113%)Cholesterol: 105mg (35%)Sodium: 360mg (16%)Potassium: 294mg (8%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 2g (2%)Vitamin A: 984IU (20%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 286mg (29%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
Course:Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine:Italian
Keyword:chicken alfredo, chicken alfredo pasta bake, pasta bake
Tried this recipe? Rate it belowtag @jocooks on instagram and hashtag it #jocooks!
  • 1448

Meet Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

30 recipes from around the world cover.

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe and get a FREE dinner recipes ebook!

chicken enchilada rice casserole cut into servings in a casserole dish.
Previous Post
Chicken Enchilada Rice Casserole
blueberry dump cake in a white baking dish with almost half of it out and a serving spoon in it.
Next Post
Blueberry Dump Cake

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rate Recipe Cancel reply

Did you make this recipe? Rate it:




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Rakel says

    August 27, 2020 at 1:13 am

    5 stars
    Made this last night, was a bit confused with “1 chicken breast” they come in all different sizes, ended up putting 450g in and it was perfect, defenately didn’t feed 6, only 3 and again that was perfect for us. Don’t have an oven proof pan so transferred it to an ovenproof dish, took a picture of it when it was ready and sent it to my friend and she is demanding that I make it again this weekend when she comes over. It was soooo tasty and cheesy (I did add a few red chilli flakes because I like a bit of heat) Will be making again and again, thank you so much for sharing this 🙂 x

    Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Joanna Cismaru

Hey there!

I'm Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More…
cover for the big book of jo's quick and easy meals.

My Cookbook

Order Now: Amazon | Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound | Books-A-Million

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe and get a FREE dinner recipes ebook!

Sign me up

Dinner Favorites

black pepper chicken on a bed of rice on a black plate.

Black Pepper Chicken

a slice of pastitsio on a black plate.

Pastitsio (Greek Lasagna)

side view shot of a piece of eggplant parmesan with marinara sauce in a white plate garnished with parsley and a piece cut out and held by a fork

Eggplant Parmesan

side view shot chicken souvlaki skewers with a little tzatziki on a plate

Chicken Souvlaki

yakisoba noodles with chicken and vegetables in a large serving platter.

Yakisoba

pouring lemon sauce over fried chicken.

Chinese Lemon Chicken

a chicken gyro wrapped in paper and topped with lots of tzatziki sauce with another gyro in the background

Chicken Gyros

homemade hamburger helper lasagna from scratch in a skillet.

One Pot Hamburger Helper Lasagna

Air Fryer Recipes

a roasted chicken on a serving platter along some roasted root veggies.

Air Fryer Whole Chicken

apple pie bombs on a white plate with the top one cut in half.

Air Fryer Apple Pie Bombs

3 cooked chicken breasts on a cutting board.

Air Fryer Chicken Breast

air fried chicken drumsticks in a basket of an air fryer.

Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

cooked chicken thighs in the basket of an air fryer.

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

eggs inside an air fryer basket.

Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs

lobster tails on a white serving platter.

Air Fryer Lobster Tails

hands pulling apart a mozzarella stick with the rest in the background

Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

freshly made bread in air fryer on a cutting board cut into slices.

Air Fryer No Knead Bread

bacon wrapped water chestnuts on a white serving platter.

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

Jo Cooks...

Flavors from around the world

No matter what household we have all grown up in, there is something that has brought us all together here and that is a love and appreciation of food. Food that is from cultures and cuisines across the world has always been a staple of the blog. I'm excited to bring you all a taste of each corner of the earth, every last bite seasoned to perfection and served up with love - from my kitchen to yours.
chow mein in a white asian bowl.

Asian

caprese gnocchi in a sheet pan.

Italian

chicken fajita taquitos with sour cream and salsa on a white platter.

Mexican

chicken and mushroom in creamy dill sauce over a bed of rice in a blue bowl.

Romanian

freshly made lamb korma in a beige braiser.

Indian

freshly made hummus drizzled with olive oil and garnished with tomatoes cucumbers and olives.

Middle Eastern

Trending Now

overhead shot of oven baked chicken breasts in a baking dish

Baked Chicken Breast

overhead shot of oven baked chicken thighs in a pan

Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

roast chicken with roast potatoes on a roaster.

Roast Chicken

a prime rib roast sliced on a plate

Prime Rib Roast

Browse All
  • Easy Dinners
  • Instant Pot
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • Chicken Recipes
  • Desserts
  • Recipe Index

Featured On

today logo.
huffpost logo.
the washington post logo.
jezebel logo.
countryliving logo.
good housekeeping logo.
lifehack logo.
buzzfeed logo.
mashable logo.
woman's day logo.
health logo.
better homes & gardens logo.
delish logo.
healthline logo.
nbc news logo.
blogloving logo.
university of washington logo.
shape logo.
Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
  • About Jo
  • Contact
  • visit my other site: Craving Home Cooked
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Statement
© 2022 · All Rights Reserved · Back to Top
Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

Subscribe and get a free dinner recipes ebook!