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Home » Meat and Poultry » Chicken Alfredo Penne Casserole

Chicken Alfredo Penne Casserole

Last updated on August 29, 2018. Originally posted on August 28, 2018 by Lalaine. 25 Comments

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Chicken Alfredo Penne Casserole with moist chicken, hearty pasta, creamy sauce, and cheese baked into the ultimate pasta bake! Cheesy, tasty, and topped with fresh tomato and basil, it’s a guaranteed dinner favorite.

Chicken Alfredo Casserole in white baking dish
Chicken Alfredo Penne Casserole

We love the light, refreshing flavors of angel hair with tomato sauce or lemon garlic shrimp linguine at home during Summer time but come Fall months, we like to switch it up to hearty pasta bakes such as chicken spaghetti, stuffed jumbo shells, and this chicken alfredo casserole.

Because what can be more filling and comforting in cold weather than a hot and bubbly baked pasta casserole loaded with cheese, cheese, and MORE cheese?

serving chicken alfredo bake from a white casserole dish with a large spoon

How to Make Chicken Alfredo

Chicken Alfredo has three delicious components namely:

  • Alfredo sauce made of butter, garlic, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese
  • Cooked boneless, skinless chicken which can be grilled, baked, or pan-fried and then sliced into bite-size pieces
  • Pasta of choice such as penne, linguine, fettuccine or spaghetti

We are, however, upping the wow factor by combining the three in a casserole dish, topping the mixture with shredded cheese, and baking in the oven until gooey and melty. Served with tomato and basil salsa topping for a fresh layer of flavor, this is the ultimate comfort food!

Chicken Alfredo Bake in a white casserole dish

Although this chicken pasta bake requires a few steps to pull together, it’s really a simple, uncomplicated dish to make. In a pinch, you can use jarred Alfredo sauce and shredded rotisserie chicken and have dinner ready in 30 minutes!

But really, really, follow this recipe from scratch, pretty please! It may take a few more minutes but the luxurious homemade sauce loaded with all the garlic just can’t be beat.  Plus, marinating the chicken breasts in Italian dressing makes every morsel so flavorful and worth the effort.

Chicken Pasta Bake with alfredo sauce on a serving plate

Tips on How to Make Chicken Alfredo Casserole

  • For al dente texture, cook the pasta a minute or two shy of package directions as it will continue to cook in the sauce when baked.
  • For a smooth, creamy sauce, do not allow the heavy cream to a full boil lest it separates and curdles.
  • The 15 to 20 minutes of bake time is assuming the sauce and pasta are still hot when assembled and put in the oven. If at room temperature or refrigerated, add 5 to 10 minutes or until completely heated.
  • My previous recipe used 2 cups of sauce but when I retested, I found the dish benefited from increasing to 3 cups as the pasta tends to absorb a lot of liquid as it stands. This jumped the calorie content, of course, but I promise you won’t regret that extra smothering of Alfredo sauce 🙂
  • Prefer a crunchy topping than gooey cheese? Use buttered bread crumbs or crushed-up croutons instead.

Watch the Video and See this Yummy Pasta Casserole in Action:

 

Chicken Pasta Bake with alfredo sauce on a serving plate
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

Chicken Alfredo Penne Casserole

3.6 from 5 votes
Chicken Alfredo Penne Casserole with moist chicken, hearty pasta, creamy sauce, and cheese baked into the ultimate pasta bake! Cheesy, tasty, and topped with a refreshing fresh tomato and basil, it's a guaranteed dinner favorite.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Marinating30 mins
Total Time1 hr 25 mins
Course: Main Entree, Pasta
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken alfredo bake, chicken alfredo casserole
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 1168kcal
Author: Lalaine

Ingredients

  • 4 (4 ounces each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
  • 2 medium Roma tomatoes
  • 6 fresh basil leaves, chiffonaded
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 12 ounces uncooked penne pasta
  • 1 cup Swiss Cheese or Monterey Jack, shredded
  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine chicken and salad dressing. Marinate in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. 
  • Cut tomatoes and with a spoon, scoop out seeds and discard. Dice into very small pieces. In a bowl, combine tomatoes, basil and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine and set aside.
  • Brush a wide heavy bottomed pan with the canola oil and heat over medium heat. Add chicken breasts in a single layer and pan-grill for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Cut into slices and keep warm.
  • In a pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta 1 minute shy of package directions. Drain well.
  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add butter. When butter begins to melt, add garlic and cook, stirring, regularly, until limp and aromatic. 
  • Add heavy cream and simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes or until heated. 
  • Add Parmesan cheese, whisking vigorously until sauce is thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • In a bowl, combine hot pasta and alfredo sauce and toss to combine. Transfer to a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking dish. 
  • Top with chicken and sprinkle with cheese. 
  • Cover with foil and bake in a 375 F oven for about  15 to 20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted
  • Spoon on serving plates and garnish with tomato mixture. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 1168kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 89g | Saturated Fat: 50g | Cholesterol: 310mg | Sodium: 951mg | Potassium: 623mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3040IU | Vitamin C: 5.4mg | Calcium: 530mg | Iron: 1.5mg
Tried this recipe? I'd love to see what you made!mention @Onionringsandthings and hashtag photo with #onionringsandthings
Chicken Alfredo Casserole in white baking dish
serving chicken alfredo bake from a white casserole dish with a large spoon
Chicken Alfredo Bake in a white casserole dish
Chicken Pasta Bake with alfredo sauce on a serving plate

 

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Filed Under: Meat and Poultry, Potatoes, Pasta and Rice Tagged With: basil, cheese, chicken, heavy cream, pasta, penne, tomato

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Lalaine from The Recipe Pot

Hello! My name is Lalaine and Welcome to Onion Rings and Things where you’ll find comfort food recipes, crafts, and printables. Read more...

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Comments

  1. Sheila says

    December 17, 2013 at 9:12 pm

    This looks sumptuous

    Reply
  2. kathy @ countingtoten.com says

    December 17, 2013 at 5:13 pm

    Delish! It looks like the “No Rules Pasta” at Outback. I’m going to make it and let you know how close the flavors are!

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      February 26, 2014 at 2:04 am

      Now you have me intrigued. Have to go to Outback and try theirs 🙂

      Reply
  3. katherine says

    December 17, 2013 at 9:07 am

    That looks so good! And the picture is gorgeous!

    Reply
  4. Mommy Pehpot says

    December 17, 2013 at 5:49 am

    wow! I will try your recipe this Christmas 🙂

    Reply
  5. Cara @ Craftdictator says

    December 17, 2013 at 4:03 am

    This looks so yummy! I’m definitely going to have to try it!

    Reply
  6. Lalaine says

    December 17, 2013 at 12:15 am

    Thanks, everyone, for your visit and kind words 🙂

    Reply
  7. Pam says

    December 17, 2013 at 12:10 am

    Beautiful pictures! This is something I would really love to eat and wouldn’t mind cooking. It certainly does look delicious!

    Reply
  8. Shanna says

    December 16, 2013 at 9:14 pm

    This looks delicious. Great photos, btw!

    Reply
  9. Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says

    December 16, 2013 at 8:13 pm

    That’s the most appetizing thing I’ve seen all day! Looks completely delicious!

    Reply
  10. Candy says

    December 16, 2013 at 6:49 pm

    This looks so yummy! Gonna make this soon.

    Reply
  11. Jenn says

    December 16, 2013 at 6:19 pm

    That looks so delicious! You did a great job on the photography! My mouth is watering!

    Reply
  12. Rachee says

    December 16, 2013 at 4:46 pm

    This looks delicious and simple to create. Thanks for the supercalifragalistic recipe!

    Reply
  13. Carla says

    December 16, 2013 at 10:14 am

    Love your intro and so very true! that is all it needs 🙂 Looks delicious!

    Reply
  14. LC Mortimer says

    December 16, 2013 at 9:57 am

    This looks absolutely delicious!

    Reply
  15. Chris says

    December 16, 2013 at 9:01 am

    Chicken Alfredo is both I and my brother’s favorite; probably going to cook this up tonight. Love the site name and logo as well. 😀

    Reply
  16. Cyndi says

    December 16, 2013 at 7:45 am

    This looks absolutely delicious! I’ll have to try this recipe soon!

    Reply
  17. Wood Arts Universe says

    December 16, 2013 at 7:09 am

    Sounds delicious!!! I Love Pasta Too Much. I can eat pasta until it hurts, and then go for another plate. It’s just too good! Unfortunately, my metabolism does not love pasta as much as I do,

    Reply
  18. Jennifer Williams says

    December 16, 2013 at 6:17 am

    That looks delicious, I could easily make that for myself and my boys – my version would be without the chicken. I love meals that I can easily make for all of us.

    Reply
  19. Dr. Renee says

    December 15, 2013 at 11:09 pm

    Looks and SOUNDS DELICIOUS!!!!

    Reply
  20. GossipMoms says

    December 15, 2013 at 10:16 pm

    o yes that looks so tasty, can i have some please lol

    Reply
  21. Danette says

    December 15, 2013 at 10:04 pm

    Don’t feel bad, we all get “writers block” … the recipe looks delish! thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  22. Nicki says

    December 15, 2013 at 9:43 pm

    OH MY GOSH! I must try this for lunch tomorrow! Looks heavenly!

    Reply
  23. Derik says

    October 23, 2013 at 12:25 pm

    Ha! Love the introduction to this recipe. And I am making this tonight for sure.

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      October 24, 2013 at 9:50 am

      hahaha…thanks 🙂

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Lalaine!

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