Alright, let’s talk about dinner. Some nights, you have all the energy in the world to cook something amazing. Other nights, the idea of using more than one pot makes you want to order a pizza.
This recipe is for those pizza nights. When you want something that tastes like you tried really hard, but you actually just… dumped some stuff in a dish and baked it.
Seriously, that’s it. It’s creamy, cheesy, and full of chicken and pasta. It’s the kind of comfort food that feels like a hug. So let’s get you fed and feeling good.
What You’ll Need
Here’s the simple shopping list. Nothing weird or hard to find, I promise.
- Uncooked Penne Pasta
- Chicken Broth
- Heavy Cream
- Jarred Alfredo Sauce (yep, the easy stuff)
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- Grated Parmesan Cheese
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Fresh Parsley (optional, for making it look fancy)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Penne Pasta | 1 lb (16 oz) | Don’t cook it first! |
| Chicken Broth | 2 cups | Low sodium is a good choice. |
| Heavy Cream | 1 cup | This makes it super creamy. |
| Jarred Alfredo Sauce | 1 jar (15 oz) | Use your favorite brand. |
| Chicken Breasts | 1.5 lbs | Cut into bite-sized pieces. |
| Mozzarella Cheese | 2 cups | Shredded. |
| Parmesan Cheese | 1/2 cup | Grated. |
| Seasonings | To taste | About 1 tsp each of garlic & onion powder. |
Tools You’ll Need
You don’t need a bunch of fancy kitchen gadgets for this.
- A 9×13 inch baking dish
- A large bowl
- A whisk or large spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- A knife and cutting board
How to Make Dump and Bake Chicken Alfredo
This is the best part. It’s almost embarrassingly easy.
Step 1: First thing, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Grab your 9×13 inch baking dish. No need to grease it.
Step 2: In a large bowl, pour in the chicken broth, heavy cream, and the entire jar of Alfredo sauce. Whisk it all together until it’s smooth.
Step 3: Add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to the sauce mixture. Give it another good stir. This is where the flavor magic starts.
Step 4: Now, dump the uncooked pasta and the bite-sized chicken pieces right into the baking dish. Spread them out into an even layer.
Step 5: Pour that creamy sauce mixture you made all over the chicken and pasta. Use a spoon to gently press everything down so it’s mostly covered by the liquid.
Step 6: Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. This is super important because it traps the steam and cooks the pasta perfectly.
Step 7: Bake it for 40-45 minutes. At this point, the pasta should be getting tender. Carefully take it out of the oven and remove the foil.
Step 8: Give everything a good stir. Now, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese all over the top.
Step 9: Put the dish back in the oven, uncovered this time, for another 10-15 minutes. You’re looking for the cheese to be melted, bubbly, and maybe a little golden brown on top.
Step 10: Let it rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving. This helps the sauce thicken up a bit. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if you want to feel like a chef.
Pro Tips from My Kitchen
I’ve made my share of casseroles, and I’ve learned a few things. Here are some tips to make sure yours turns out great.
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Shred Your Own Cheese. I know the bagged stuff is easy, but it has anti-caking stuff on it that makes it not melt as well. Grating a block of mozzarella will give you a much creamier, smoother cheese topping. It’s worth the extra two minutes.
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Don’t Overcrowd the Pan. Make sure you use a 9×13 dish. If you try to cram it all into a smaller dish, the pasta on top won’t cook right because it won’t be covered by the sauce. Everything needs room to swim.
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Check Your Chicken. When you pull it out to stir and add the cheese, poke a piece of chicken. Make sure it’s cooked through. Different ovens and chicken piece sizes can change the cooking time a bit.
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Foil is Your Friend. Don’t skip covering the dish tightly with foil for the first part of baking. This is the secret. It traps all the heat and steam, which is what cooks the pasta without you having to boil it first. A loose cover means dry pasta.
Possible Substitutions and Variations
Want to change things up? Go for it. This recipe is hard to mess up.
- Different Pasta: Penne is great, but you could use rotini, ziti, or elbow macaroni. Just stick to a similar-sized shape.
- Add Veggies: Want some green stuff? Throw in a cup of frozen broccoli florets or peas when you add the pasta and chicken. They’ll cook right in the sauce.
- Spice It Up: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a little bit of heat.
- Cream Cheese: For an even richer sauce, you can cube up 4 ounces of cream cheese and stir it in after the first bake, before you add the cheese topping.
- Different Protein: You could use cooked, crumbled Italian sausage instead of chicken for a different flavor.
Let’s Talk Diet Swaps
Need to fit this into a specific eating plan? Here are a few ideas.
| Diet | Ingredient Swap | Instructions |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-Free | Use your favorite gluten-free penne. | Follow the recipe, but you might need to add 5-10 minutes to the initial baking time. GF pasta can be thirsty. |
| Lower Carb | Swap pasta for cauliflower florets. | Reduce chicken broth to 1 cup. Bake time will be shorter, about 25-30 minutes total. |
| Lower Fat | Use half-and-half or whole milk instead of heavy cream. | The sauce won’t be as rich or thick, but it will still be good. You can also use chicken made from breast tenderloins. |
Make-Ahead Tips
If you want to get a head start on dinner, you can prep this ahead of time.
Combine all the ingredients (pasta, chicken, sauce) in the baking dish, cover it tightly, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
When you’re ready to bake, you may need to add about 10-15 minutes to the initial covered baking time since you’re starting with a cold dish.
What to Serve With It
This casserole is a full meal on its own, but it loves company.
A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette is perfect. The freshness cuts through the richness of the Alfredo. And, of course, you can never go wrong with some warm garlic bread for soaking up any extra sauce.
Leftovers and Storage
Got leftovers? Lucky you.
Let the casserole cool down completely, then cover the dish or transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, you can pop a serving in the microwave. Or, you can put the whole dish back in the oven at 350°F until it’s warmed through. You might want to add a splash of milk or broth before reheating to loosen the sauce up a bit.
FAQs
Here are some questions people often ask.
Q1. Can I use frozen chicken?
Ans: It’s best to thaw it first. Using frozen chicken will add a lot of extra water to the dish and mess up the sauce-to-pasta ratio. It will also take a lot longer to cook.
Q2. My sauce seems watery. What did I do wrong?
Ans: Nothing! The sauce will look thin when you first pull it out of the oven. Just let it sit for 5-10 minutes after baking. The starches from the pasta will continue to thicken the sauce as it cools.
Q3. Can I use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder?
Ans: Absolutely. Use about 2-3 minced cloves of fresh garlic. Mix them right into the sauce with the other seasonings.
Q4. Can I double this recipe for a crowd?
Ans: Yes, but you’ll need two 9×13 inch baking dishes. Don’t try to cram a double batch into one dish. Just prepare two separate casseroles and bake them side-by-side.
Wrapping Up
So there you have it. A super simple, one-pan meal that feels like a treat but is easy enough for any weeknight. No boiling pasta, no precooking chicken, just pure dump-and-bake goodness.
Give this one a try the next time you’re craving comfort food without the work. I’d love to hear how it turns out for you. Let me know in the comments if you make it or if you have any questions