Creamy Chicken Alfredo with Mozzarella (Print Version)
Tender chicken and pasta in creamy Alfredo sauce with a golden mozzarella crust—family-friendly comfort bake.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 3 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded (rotisserie or poached)
→ Pasta
02 - 12 oz penne or rigatoni, cooked al dente
→ Dairy & Cheeses
03 - 2 cups heavy cream
04 - 1½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (for topping)
06 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
07 - 1½ cups milk
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
→ Seasonings
10 - ½ tsp salt
11 - ½ tsp black pepper
12 - ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
13 - 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (optional)
14 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, sautéing for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
03 - Pour in the heavy cream and milk, stirring frequently. Simmer gently for about 3 minutes without bringing to a full boil.
04 - Stir in the Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and ground nutmeg. Continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens to a smooth consistency.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, diced chicken, and Alfredo sauce. Add the dried Italian herbs if using, and toss everything together until evenly coated.
06 - Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly and smoothing the top with a spatula.
07 - Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly across the entire surface of the casserole.
08 - Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the mozzarella crust is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
09 - Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It takes a boxed up comfort food fantasy and delivers it with real ingredients and almost no fuss.
- The mozzarella crust alone is worth making this, but the creamy sauce underneath will ruin store bought Alfredo for you forever.
02 -
- Do not let the cream sauce boil at any point because once it breaks, there is no fixing it and you will have to start over.
- Cook the pasta one minute shy of al dente since it will continue cooking in the oven and nobody wants mushy penne.
03 -
- Grate your Parmesan from a wedge while the butter is melting so it melts into the sauce seamlessly without clumping.
- For a spicier version, add a quarter teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the cream sauce and watch how it transforms the whole dish.