Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta Bake
Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Bake creamy and delicious and the perfect weeknight comfort food. Everything you need for a complete dinner is included in one dish--protein, pasta, veggies, and a creamy alfredo sauce!
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This pasta bake is perfect for serving a large family or to make in a large batch for leftovers throughout the week. Just like my Garlic Fettucine Alfredo, and Chicken Alfredo Lasagna this pasta dish is special for its creamy and cheesy sauce that is the ultimate in comfort food!
Why this Recipe Works
I love this recipe because it includes all of the components of a full, complete meal in one dish which makes it great for busy weeknights.
With healthy broccoli, protein-packed chicken, and yummy pasta in a tasty sauce, this is all you need to satisfy even the biggest crowd! If you do want a nice quick side, this pairs perfectly with Ciabatta Garlic Bread.
The flavors are classic and nostalgic, so picky eaters will have no problem with this pasta bake or this Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole.
I like to use rotini pasta as a fun shape, but you can also customize with your favorite pasta shape or even add more veggies!
Ingredients Needed
- Pasta: I like to use rotini, but you could use something like penne, ziti, or even a longer pasta like spaghetti or fettuccine.
- Broccoli: This adds a nice pop of green color and nutrition to your pasta bake.
- Butter: Helps give your sauce a nice buttery flavor as a base.
- Minced Garlic: A classic ingredient in alfredo sauce as it provides a familiar and savory flavor.
- Flour: Helps thicken the homemade alfredo sauce.
- Half and Half: This mixture of milk and heavy cream is perfect for creating a thick and luscious sauce.
- Cream Cheese: Adds a bit of tangy flavor and texture.
- Parmesan Cheese: For some much needed cheesiness.
- Seasonings: I used garlic powder, salt, and black pepper for a little bit of extra flavor.
- Cooked Chicken: This is a great way to use up leftover chicken, or you could buy pre-cooked chicken or simply bake a few chicken breasts.
- Mozzarella Cheese: For an added cheesy layer, mozzarella provides a great melty quality.
How to Make this Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake
- Step 1: Cook pasta until al dente, then set aside.
- Step 2: Steam broccoli in the same pot, then set aside.
- Step 3: Melt butter in an oven safe pot over medium-high heat and add garlic, whisking until fragrant.
- Step 4: Add in the flour and whisk until combined.
- Step 5: Pour in the half and half and stir until smooth.
- Step 6: Add cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic powder.
- Step 7: Add salt and pepper to taste, then simmer on low until thickened.
- Step 8: Turn off the heat and add broccoli, pasta, and chicken.
- Step 9: Toss until well combined.
- Step 10: Stir in a cup of mozzarella cheese, then add the rest to the top and bake for about 20 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- If you don't have a pot or skillet that's oven safe, you can also assemble this bake in a 9x13 baking dish or casserole dish. Give it a spritz of non-stick spray first.
- For a slightly lighter version of this dish, use olive oil instead of butter.
- Don't have any cooked chicken on hand? Buy it frozen and pre-cooked, purchase a rotisserie chicken and shred it, or bake a few chicken breasts at 350 degrees until cooked through.
- This is a great base recipe to add other ingredients to. For added nutrition, mix in additional veggies like mushrooms, bell peppers, peas, red onion, tomato, spinach, zucchini, asparagus, or whatever you have on hand.
- Make sure you only cook your pasta to al dente initially, as you'll be cooking it more when this dish bakes.
- Give your chicken broccoli alfredo bake an extra golden brown top by placing it under the broiler for a minute or so at the end of cooking time.
Recipe FAQ's
For some additional flavor, use seasonings like red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, or herbs like thyme and oregano.
Absolutely! Chicken is a mild-flavored meat that's high in protein and relatively low in fat, which makes it the perfect meat to use in lots of pasta dishes and more.
Allow leftovers to cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You could also freeze this alfredo bake for 2 to 3 months.
You can reheat your leftovers in the oven at around 300 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until heated through. To avoid drying out, you may want to cover the top with some aluminum foil. For a faster option heat in the microwave in 1-minute intervals. From frozen, allow the pasta to thaw in the fridge before reheating.
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Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Bake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Rotini Pasta, (3 1/2 cups dried)
- 3 cups broccoli
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups half and half
- 6 ounces cream cheese cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups Rotisserie chicken, diced
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Instructions
- Heat a pot of water until boiling and cook Rotini pasta until al dente, strain, and set aside.
- Heat 2 inches of water in a saucepan until boiling and add your broccoli florets. Put a lid on top and steam for 3-5 minutes just until tender.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet (see notes) on medium-high heat and add the butter and garlic and whisk until melted.
- Sprinkle in the flour, whisk, and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly pour in the half and half and whisk until smooth. Add in the cream cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Simmer on low until thickened.
- Remove from heat and add in the cooked pasta, broccoli, and chicken and toss to combine.
- Stir in 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
The full recipe is always at the bottom of the post. You scrolled right by it to write this comment 🙂
Hi Wendy just wondering what measurements for this dish please. 🙏
Yay Leah, so happy everybody loved it 🙂
Wendi, this is a delicious casserole!! The whole family loved it! I also shared with my sister in law!! Please Keep your wonderful recipes coming!
So happy it was a hit!
This was so easy and kids devoured it! It heats up really well so the leftovers are just as delicious. Definitely keeping this one on the dinner rotation, thank you!