Recipe Background
The creamy deliciousness of this Chicken Pasta Bake can’t be beat! This simple dish spares no expense with chicken and pasta baked in a heavenly homemade Alfredo sauce and topped with crisped cheese. This is a meal that you’ll want to make again and again! Chicken Pasta Bake is savory, hearty, and ready in just 30 minutes, so it feels like a weeknight dinner any day of the week!
The creamy deliciousness of this Chicken Pasta Bake can’t be beat! This simple dish spares no expense with chicken and pasta baked in a heavenly homemade Alfredo sauce and topped with crisped cheese. This is a meal that you’ll want to make again and again! Chicken Pasta Bake is savory, hearty, and ready in just 30 minutes, so it feels like a weeknight dinner any day of the week!
Ingredients
- 16 ounces pasta such as bowtie or elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 chicken breast cubed small
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese grated, plus more for topping
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- parsley optional, for garnish
Directions
- Preheat the oven by turning your broiler on.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
- Before draining the pasta, reserve 2 cups of the pasta water. This will help thin the sauce later.
- Drain the pasta
- In a large, cast-iron or oven-proof skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter.
- Add the cubed chicken, and cook through, reading 165 degrees F when tested with a meat thermometer, about 5-7 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet.
- Once the butter has melted, add the heavy cream and whisk it with the butter.
- Add the flour and whisk until a thick mixture forms.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the parmesan cheese.
- Continue whisking vigorously until the sauce is quite thick.
- Add the reserved pasta water a little at a time to help thin the sauce if it seems too thick.
- Add the chicken back to the skillet along with the cooked pasta.
- Stir well until the chicken and the pasta are well-coated.
- Top the dish with the mozzarella cheese.
- Place under the broiler until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Watch it carefully to avoid burning.
- Add more of the parmesan to the top and the parsley for garnish.
- Serve.
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