Our delicious Chicken Alfredo Bake is homemade, full of delicious Traeger Grilled Chicken, tender broccoli, and our ultimate Homemade Alfredo Sauce. This is such a nice change from your typical pasta dish, and is totally kid-friendly. It is also something that can be thrown together from mostly leftovers, or can be a great dish for meal prep if you need a “pop in the oven” dinner option or lunches to portion out during the week!
Chicken Alfredo Bake
I posted my Fettuccine Alfredo originally back in the early days of the blog. As you can see, my photography skills were quite spectacular. I even dressed it up in a pretty paper bowl.
The photo may be lacking, but this basic recipe is not.
Alfredo is amazingly simple, and so delicious. If you are looking for a little change-up from your typical fettuccine recipe, this Chicken Alfredo Bake recipe is perfect!
With an entire pint of heavy cream it definitely isn’t an everyday meal, but we all need to indulge a little now and then. It is well worth the extra calories to have an incredible, homemade meal with ingredients you can pronounce, unlike what you typically find in the jarred alfredo sauce on the shelves.
The key to a great baked pasta is to undercook the noodles by about 1/3 before you bake them, so they maintain their texture and don’t get too soft and mushy. My other trick is to buy high quality pasta. I really like the Al Bronzo line from Barilla, but there are other comparable brands out there that hold up well to baking too.
Some dishes I even go for a parboil and half cook them, especially for things like Lasagna.
Why you’ll love it!
- Homemade Alfredo Sauce: Rich, creamy, and made from scratch for unbeatable flavor.
- Hearty and Satisfying: Perfectly cooked pasta and tender chicken make it a fulfilling meal.
- Versatile: Easily customizable with your favorite vegetables or cheeses.
- Comfort Food Classic: Ideal for a cozy dinner at home.
- Nutritious: Broccoli adds color, texture, and nutrients.
You need more PASTA in your life.
Chicken Alfredo Bake shopping list
Wondering if you have to hit the store? Here’s the list of items you’ll need to make this recipe. For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Chicken breasts
- Salt
- Garlic powder
- Pepper
- Onion powder
- Salted butter
- Fresh garlic
- Heavy cream
- Parmigiano Reggiano
- Rigatoni
- Broccoli florets
- Shredded mozzarella
Serve with our Traeger Garlic Bread!
How to make a homemade Chicken Alfredo Bake
Wondering what you’re getting yourself into when you make this dish? Here’s a quick overview of the process! Make sure you follow the instructions at the recipe card at the bottom of the post while you’re cooking.
- Preheat and Season:Preheat your grill or oven to 350°F and season the chicken with salt, garlic powder, pepper, and onion powder. Grill until fully cooked, then cube.
- Prepare Alfredo Sauce:In a skillet, melt butter, add garlic, then heavy cream. Simmer until reduced, and whisk in Parmigiano until thick.
- Cook Pasta:Boil rigatoni to al dente, adding broccoli in the last 90 seconds. Drain.
- Combine and Bake:Mix chicken, sauce, and pasta. Transfer to a casserole dish, top with cheeses, and bake at 325°F until bubbly.
- Finish and Serve:Let cool slightly, then serve warm for best taste.
We make Shrimp Alfredo, too!
Chicken Alfredo Bake FAQ
Can I make this dish in advance?
Yup! You can put this together before hand and cover it in the fridge for 2-3 days before baking and serving. You can also bake it ahead of time and then parcel it out into individual portions for easy grab-and-go lunches.
Can I use a different pasta?
Any high-quality pasta that holds sauce well can be used. Rotini is a good choice, as is penne, ziti, fusilli, or cavatappi.
What other types of vegetables work well in an alfredo bake?
We like using fresh grilled zucchini, grilled asparagus, or a few handfuls of blanched baby spinach in the mix.
Try our Traeger Grilled Lasagna!
Serve this with…
More great pasta recipes to love
- Traeger Boursin Pasta
- Penne Pomodoro
- Traeger Creamy Tortellini Soup with Italian Sausage
- Pellet Grill Feta Pasta
- Meatball Stuffed Shells
- Shrimp Marinara
Chicken Alfredo Bake
This incredible, homemade Chicken Alfredo Bake is perfect for a make-ahead dinner or to whip up for Sunday for guests! Garlic cream sauce and all the chicken, cheese, and broccoli make this a dish your whole family will love.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 large chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Alfredo Sauce
- 1 stick salted butter
- 4 large cloves fresh garlic, thinly sliced (no jar-lic!!)*
- 1 quart heavy cream
- 2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (or you can use the pre-grated parmesan with the green lid. I won't tell.)
- salt (to taste)
Pasta Bake
- 1 pound high-quality rigatoni
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 cups grated Parmigiano reggiano
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat your pellet grill (or oven) to 350°F.
- Season the chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder.
- Place onto the preheated grill. Cook for 6-7 minutes before flipping. Continue to grill until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove and let cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting into bite-sized cubes. Reduce the heat on the grill (or oven) to 325°F.
- Put a well-salted pot of water on the stovetop over high heat to boil.
- In a large non-stick skillet with high sides, melt 1 stick of butter over medium-low heat. Add the 4 cloves of sliced garlic and cook for about 60-90 seconds.
- Add your quart of heavy cream and whisk to combine with the butter and garlic.
- Keep heat on medium-low, stirring frequently, until lightly bubbling. Let it simmer at that low simmer, stirring frequently, for about 15-20 minutes until reduced by about 1/4 of the volume.
- When the water comes to a boil, cook the 1 pound of rigatoni pasta until it is just shy of al dente. During the last 90 seconds of cooking, add the broccoli florets to the water to blanch. Drain well and set aside.
- Next, slowly add the 2 cups of grated parmesan while whisking. Turn heat down a bit and cook until desired thickness is reached. It should coat a spoon easily.
- In a large bowl or in one of your cooking pots or pans, if large enough, mix together the sauce, chicken, and the noodles until they are all evenky distributed. Spoon into an oven-safe 9x13 casserole dish prepped with a light spray of cooking spray.
- Top with the 2 cups shredded Parmigiano Reggiano and the 1 cup shredded mozzarella.
- Bake pasta for 30-40 minutes in the pellet grill (or oven). If the cheese starts to brown, cover with tin foil while it finishes cooking.
Notes
* "jar-lic" is the jarred minced garlic you can buy and will keep in the fridge for months and months. Don't use that. Get the fresh stuff. Its worth it!
* Easily adapt this recipe for your slow cooker by placing the ingredients into your crock pot instead the oven or grill and cooking on high for 1-2 hours or low for 3-4 hours.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 933Total Fat: 73gSaturated Fat: 44gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 253mgSodium: 1489mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 39g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate. If you are tracking these things for medical purposes please consult an outside, trusted source. Thanks!
Nicole Johnson
Nicole Johnson, a self-taught expert in grilling and outdoor cooking, launched Or Whatever You Do in 2010. Her blog, renowned for its comprehensive and creative outdoor cooking recipes, has garnered a vast audience of millions. Nicole's hands-on experience and passion for grilling shine through her work. Her husband, Jeremiah Johnson, also plays a pivotal role in recipe development, adding his culinary flair to the mix. Together, they form a dynamic duo, offering a rich and varied outdoor cooking experience to their followers.
Brenda
Friday 6th of September 2024
would you add me to your list to send recipes to my e-mail. Thanks!!
Nicole Johnson
Friday 6th of September 2024
Sure will!
Karen from MA
Sunday 24th of October 2021
Simply fabulous, used leftover rotisserie chicken for the recipe. I didn’t quite have a pint of heavy cream, but it still came out great. I accidentally cooked the gluten free pasta al dente, so I chose to layer the casserole dish with the pasta, chicken, broccoli and mozzarella in 2 layers and poured the Alfredo over the top layer prior to adding the second layer of mozzarella, heated through in the oven and it came out out wonderfully. Definitely added to the rotation. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
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Kelley
Saturday 10th of January 2015
Mmm.. Love a good alredo pasta! This looks divine!