Baked Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo
This easy, cheesy Baked Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo is a weeknight dinner dream. Perfect to prep ahead and bake right before serving, this recipe is guaranteed to be a family favorite.
I’m always looking for easy ways to get dinner on the table, fast. Pasta bakes are great for busy weeknights, not only because they’re quick to assemble but also because they’re good for preparing ahead and baking right before serving. This chicken and broccoli alfredo bake is using the same sauce base as my Baked Chicken Alfredo recipe , just lightened up a smidge leaving out the heavy cream. Feel free to substitute half of the milk with cream if you want a richer dish. For the ultimate weeknight hack, use a jar of your favorite Alfredo sauce.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Butter.
- Fresh garlic cloves. Garlic powder can be substituted.
- Flour.
- Milk. I use whole milk/full cream milk. Half and half can also be used.
- Cheese: Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. The mozzarella is great for that classic cheese pull but is an optional addition. Use a good quality Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself for the best result.
- Chicken. Using rotisserie chicken is a quick hack but leftover shredded chicken breast works just as well.
- Salt and black pepper.
- Pasta: Any short pasta shape will do. Fusilli, penne pasta, ziti, rigatoni and macaroni are good options.
- Broccoli. I used fresh broccoli florets but frozen broccoli works too.
How To Make Baked Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo
- Pasta and broccoli: Cook the pasta in a big pot of salted water – I always add the broccoli for the last 2 minutes of cooking to save some time.
- Sauce: Melt the butter, add the garlic and stir in the flour. Whisk in the milk and cook until thick and smooth then stir in the grated parmesan cheese and season to taste.
- Assemble and bake: Stir the shredded chicken, pasta and broccoli into the sauce, transfer to a baking dish or casserole dish, top with mozzarella and more Parmesan and bake until golden and bubbling.
Tips:
- Using quality cheese is always the best idea but even more so when a recipe only requires a handful of ingredients. Grating your own Parmiggiano Regiano ensures the best flavor for your Alfredo sauce. Freshly grated Parmesan also melts better into the sauce giving you a smooth, velvety finish.
- Avoid over-cooking the pasta. Because the pasta will be baked after boiling, it’s best to undercook it slightly. I usually cook it for 2 minutes less than the package instructions for perfectly al dente pasta after baking.
- For more flavor, feel free to add herbs and spices like onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, dried oregano or thyme. Other cheeses like cheddar, Gruyere or Pepper Jack will also be delicious. Other veggies like mushrooms, peas, spinach and onion would also be good additions.
Can I Make This Ahead?
Absolutely! Pasta bakes are great make-ahead dishes. Prepare all the way up to baking then cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. I like to stir in a little additional pasta water (half a cup or so) to make sure the chicken broccoli alfredo casserole is still super creamy and delicious once baked. Any leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Serving Suggestions
I serve pasta bakes as a one-dish dinner most of the time but adding a salad or some garlic bread is always a good idea. Other vegetables like green beans, asparagus or brussels sprouts are also delicious with this cheesy pasta casserole.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (500g) pasta fussili, rigatoni, macaroni or penne pasta
- 2 cups broccoli florets approximately 1 medium head of broccoli
- 4 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups milk half and half can be used too
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated + a few more tablespoons for the top
- 1 rotisserie chicken meat shredded (discard skin and bones)
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F and bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
- Once boiling, add the pasta and cook for 6-7 minutes, adding the broccoli florets for the last 2 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water and drain.
- In a large skillet or pan set over medium-high heat, melt the butter then add the crushed garlic and cook for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Whisk in the flour and allow to cook for a minute then pour in the milk. Whisk until smooth then bring to a simmer.
- Cook until thickened then remove from the heat.
- Add the parmesan cheese then season with salt and black pepper.
- Add the cooked pasta and broccoli plus a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water to the sauce along with the shredded chicken and stir to combine. You want the pasta to be a little on the looser side as it will continue absorbing the sauce as it bakes.
- Transfer half of the pasta to a baking dish/casserole dish, sprinkle over half of the mozzarella cheese then top with the remaining pasta and cheese.
- Bake for 15 minutes until bubbling and golden on top.
- Remove from the oven and serve.