Creamy, cheesy, and baked until perfectly cozy, this Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta Bake is the kind of easy dinner that disappears fast at the table. Made with simple ingredients and ready in just 30 minutes, it's pure comfort food without the fuss.
If spicy is what you're after, try my Cajun Blackened Chicken Alfredo. Same creamy goodness with a bold, spicy kick.
Quick Look: Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta Bake
- ⏲️Ready in: 30 minutes
- 👪Serves: 6
- 🥘Key Ingredients: Chicken, broccoli, penne pasta, milk, parmesan cheese
- 🍳Method: Stovetop, then oven
- ⭐Difficulty: Easy
- 👩🍳Flavor Profile: Creamy homemade alfredo sauce tossed with seasoned chicken, tender broccoli, and penne pasta, then baked until hot and bubbly.
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If you love pasta with a homemade creamy sauce, then you'll adore my Tuna Noodle Casserole Without Canned Soup.
Jump to:
- Quick Look: Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta Bake
- Why You'll Love It
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Ingredient Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta Bake
- What to Serve With It
- Anne's Recipe Tips
- How to Make Ahead
- How to Cook Chicken for this Recipe
- Storing and Reheating
- Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta Bake FAQs
- The Original Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta Bake
- Easy Dessert Recipes
- Recipe
- Comments
Why You'll Love It
After reading my fantastic opening, do you need more reasons to love this recipe? I can easily come up with a few more reasons to love this chicken broccoli alfredo pasta bake!
Milk, please!
Traditional alfredo uses heavy cream, but whole milk keeps this sauce creamy while being more practical (and budget-friendly).
The real deal.
Real butter and freshly shredded parmesan make all the difference. Skip the canned stuff for the best flavor.
Penne for your thoughts
Penne is perfect here. The sauce gets inside those little tubes and clings to every bite.
If you have any extra chicken, use it for my Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole; another creamy comfort food! Try my Lemon Garlic Pasta; the creamy lemon garlic sauce will knock your socks off!
Ingredients You'll Need
This chicken broccoli alfredo pasta bake uses simple pantry staples to create a rich, creamy casserole everyone loves.
Cooked, diced chicken breasts - for 3 cups of diced chicken breasts, you'll need 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs).
Frozen broccoli florets - the steam-in-the-bag version works well. If you use fresh broccoli, you'll still need to steam it or boil it first until it's crisp (not mushy).
Penne (pen-ey) pasta - for best results, cook the pasta al dente because it will finish cooking in the oven. Any brand pasta will work, but I really like the shape and texture of Barilla Penne Pasta.
Parmesan cheese - buy a block of parmesan cheese and shred it (or shave it off) yourself (do not use the canned cheese!)
Whole milk - hey, you don't need to use heavy cream to make a thick and creamy alfredo sauce; you can even use 2% milk but I recommend whole milk.
Butter - real butter is best! It provides excellent flavor and adds creaminess to the sauce.
Cornstarch - to thicken the sauce.
Minced garlic - jarred minced garlic is very handy to keep in the fridge.
Seasonings - Dried basil, dried rosemary, salt, and pepper to season the alfredo sauce.
Ingredient Substitutions and Variations
- Instead of chicken breasts, you can use thighs or rotisserie chicken; plus this will also save you some prep time.
- Pasta substitutions include fettuccini, linguine, or pasta twists (or use your favorite!)
- Instead of broccoli, try asparagus.
- Add sliced, sauteed mushrooms for additional vegetable and to add an earthy tone.
- Substitute leftover turkey, sliced baked brats, or 1 pound of cooked, peeled, and deveined shrimp to your penne pasta alfredo.
- To add more flavor, season the chicken with steak seasoning or Cajun seasoning before cooking it. You can also add 1-2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes!
How to Make Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta Bake
Don't let homemade alfredo intimidate you. This comes together in just a few simple steps.
Photo 1: Make alfredo sauce by combining melted butter, cornstarch, milk, parmesan cheese, and the seasonings.
Photo 2: Add the cooked chicken, steamed broccoli, and cooked penne pasta.
Photo 3: Mix well and pour into a casserole. Cover.
Photo 4: Bake at 350F for about 20 minutes, or until heated well. (The photo doesn't do it justice...it's really very creamy!).
This recipe makes 4 large servings or 6 regular servings if served with a side such as garlic bread or a green salad.
What to Serve With It
Although this is a filling and comforting casserole, you can serve it with this refreshing Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad; Crispy Roasted Okra; Crockpot Collard Greens; or Roasted Parmesan Potatoes.
Anne's Recipe Tips
- Don't let the homemade alfredo sauce intimidate you. It's easy to make and only takes a few minutes of prep. Plus, it tastes much fresher and better than the jar version.
- While the pasta is boiling, go ahead and steam the broccoli in the microwave.
- Cook the pasta al dente since it will continue to cook a little after you put it in a strainer/colander.
- Instead of using pre-shredded parmesan cheese, buy a small block of parmesan cheese and shred or shave it yourself. It will make this dish taste even better!
How to Make Ahead
You can assemble this casserole ahead of time and bake it when ready-perfect for busy nights or meal prep.
How to Cook Chicken for this Recipe
For the best flavor, season and pan-sear the chicken in a little butter or oil until cooked through (165°F). This adds a light golden crust and extra flavor to the casserole.
Short on time? Rotisserie chicken works great-just chop or shred and toss it in.
You can also use baked or leftover chicken, just be careful not to overcook it since it will bake again in the oven.
Storing and Reheating
Store leftover alfredo in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I prefer to use BPA-free glass containers with locking lids. Check out this 18-piece set of glass food storage containers with locking lids from Bayco, available now on Amazon.
To reheat cold leftovers, place a serving in a microwave safe bowl and cover it. Heat at 50% power for about a minute or until it's hot enough for you. If the mixture seems too thick, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta Bake FAQs
Yep, and all you need to do is simply substitute fettuccine noodles for the penne pasta. I happen to love penne pasta for this recipe because the creamy alfredo sauce oozes into the openings and sticks to the ridges of penne pasta. Yum!
This freezes very well! Be sure to freeze in an airtight container to prevent ice crystals from forming. When you're ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then heat in a 350F oven (or heat in the microwave) until piping hot.
Instead of broccoli, you can use cauliflower, asparagus, or mixed vegetables.
The Original Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta Bake
Take a step back in time, to 2018, and this was the first photo I ever took of this recipe. It's not the best photo, but I think it still represents the creamy alfredo sauce, tender chicken, and fresh broccoli florets. It's still one of our favorite recipes.
Easy Dessert Recipes
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Recipe
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta Bake
Equipment
- Large saute pan or skillet
- Sharp kitchen knife
- measuring spoons
- measuring cup(s)
- large pot for cooking pasta
- Pasta strainer
- Casserole dish
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2-½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup parmesan cheese Shaved or shredded; not the canned cheese!
- 3 cups cooked chopped chicken breasts Seasoned as desired, cooked and diced, chopped, or shredded. Another option is to use 1 whole rotisserie chicken; remove meat from bones and chop. Discard skin.
- 10 oz steamed broccoli florets Frozen, steam in the bag kind.
- 8 oz penne pasta Cooked and drained.
- extra parmesan cheese if desired
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Melt butter in a large pan or skillet. Stir in the cornstarch and seasonings. Add milk. Simmer, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat. Add parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Check the flavor and add additional seasonings if needed.2 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon dried basil, ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary, salt to taste, black pepper to taste, 2-½ cups whole milk, ½ cup parmesan cheese
- Stir in chicken, broccoli, and pasta. Mix well and pour into a casserole dish. Cover.3 cups cooked chopped chicken breasts, 10 oz steamed broccoli florets, 8 oz penne pasta
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until heated well. Stir before serving. Top with additional parmesan cheese and fresh parsley, if desired.extra parmesan cheese if desired, chopped fresh parsley for garnish if desired
Notes
- To use only one pan, use a large oven-proof skillet. After cooking the ingredients on the stovetop, you can simply transfer the skillet to the oven to bake.
- Use the meat from a whole Rotisserie chicken instead of the chicken breasts.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy to my readers. I'm not a nutritionist and I don't guarantee the accuracy of this data. The data may differ according to the brands I used versus the brands you use. To calculate the data yourself using your brands, try using an online nutrition calculator or app.
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