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This Chicken Alfredo Casserole is a cheesy, comfort food dinner that the entire family will enjoy – and you don’t even have to boil the pasta! With a jar of alfredo sauce and a rotisserie chicken, this Dump and Bake casserole is one of the quickest meals you’ll ever prep!
Be sure and also try our Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole.
Dump and Bake Chicken Alfredo Casserole Recipe
If your family loves those classic flavors of chicken + alfredo sauce + cheese, then you need to make my newest dump and bake casserole – Chicken Alfredo Casserole.
Yes, you quite literally ‘dump’ all the ingredients into a baking dish, give it a good stir, and pop it in the oven. The prep time is 5 minutes max (promise) and then the oven does all the work. You end up with a creamy, cheesy, totally delicious meal that will taste like you spent hours slaving away.
We love my Cream Cheese Alfredo Sauce or this One Pot Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo for more easy dinner ideas.
What Is A Dump and Bake Recipe?
A dump and bake recipe is one where all the ingredients get dumped into a casserole dish, sheet pan, slow cooker, or skillet pan and then everything cooks together until it’s done.
Dump and bake recipes are ideal for busy weeknights when you need dinner on the table with very little prep work needed. You literally dump all the ingredients into a 9×13 baking pan and let it cook. No need for any bowls, pans, cutting boards, or knives. Just a casserole dish and something to stir it with.
These Southwest Chicken Burrito Bowls are a crockpot dump and go dinner and one of my family’s favorite dinners ever.
Ingredients Needed
- Penne Pasta – Uncooked pasta gets dumped into the casserole dish. No need to boil the paste beforehand.
- Alfredo Sauce – Use two jars of your favorite alfredo sauce. I love the bertolli brand (inexpensive option) or the Rao’s brand (much more expensive option) is really good if you want to pay that much! Use two of the same kind or switch it up. I like to use one jar of alfredo sauce + one jar of roasted garlic alfredo sauce (or pick a different one).
- Chicken Stock or Broth – I recommend using full salted stock or broth for this recipe. The bland pasta needs some salt and flavor.
- Cooked Shredded Chicken – This is a great recipe to use a rotisserie chicken in. Or use leftover chicken from another meal or throw some frozen chicken breasts into the slow cooker or instant pot with a can of chicken broth.
- Fresh Broccoli – One head of broccoli is enough for the 2 cups needed. Cut the broccoli into small florets.
- Italian Seasoning, Garlic Powder, Kosher Salt, Black Pepper – The dried seasonings needed.
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese or Italian Blend Cheese
How To Make Chicken Alfredo Casserole (Dump and Bake Style)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare a 9×13 baking dish and spray it with cooking spray.
Dump the pasta, alfredo sauce, chicken stock, chicken, broccoli, and dried seasonings into the prepared casserole dish and stir it so it’s well combined.
Cover the pan with foil and bake for 35-45 minutes. Uncover the pan and give it a good stir halfway through the cook time. Replace the foil and let it continue cooking.
When the pasta is tender to your preference, remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle the cheese over top. Put it back in the oven, or under a broiler, for a few minutes to let it melt.
Changes and Substitution Ideas
- Pasta : Use any similar shaped paste for this recipe. Ziti pasta, large shell pasta, rotini pasta, or bowtie pasta are all great choices. I prefer the penne because of the size and shape of it, the inside of the noodles holds some of that creamy alfredo sauce.
- Cheese : Any cheese will work in this recipe. I love the Italian blend of shredded cheese that comes in the bag, but mozzarella cheese is another great option as well.
- Homemade Alfredo Sauce : If using homemade sauce you will need 4 cups total.
How To Store Leftovers
Any leftovers you can store inside the casserole dish, or place individual servings inside airtight containers, and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat leftovers inside the microwave.
Serving Suggestions
- Green Salad : Serve this alfredo chicken casserole alongside a big green salad. The bright and healthy green salad compliments the heavier casserole. I buy a bag of salad mix and then add some cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and sliced carrots to it and give it a good toss. My kids love croutons on their salad so I always serve those alongside it as well.
- Garlic Bread : Any pasta dinner is always good served with some Cheesy Garlic Bread or Parmesan Garlic Bread.
- Breadsticks : Try making some Easy Homemade Breadsticks or buy some frozen breadsticks and bake them according to the package directions.
- Fresh Fruit : Cutting up some fruit and serving it as a grab & go fruit platter is always a great addition to any dinner. I always have fruit in my fridge so I just use whatever I have.
Recipe Tips
- Cook Time : A 35 minute cook time will yield a firmer al dente pasta. A 45 minute cook time (or closer to it) will yield a softer pasta. My family likes soft pasta so I always cook the casserole for 45 minutes.
- Alfredo Sauce : Use a good tasting, quality alfredo sauce for this recipe. The taste really shines through so make sure you like it. I love the bertoilli brand or Rao’s brand. Although Rao’s is quite expensive so I usually buy Bertolli brand alfredo sauce.
- Seasonings : Use less or more of each seasoning. You can also add more seasonings such as dried basil, dried parsley, or some red pepper chili flakes for some spice.
- Salt & Chicken Broth or Stock : Chicken stock usually is saltier than broth (in my opinion) so I recommend using 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt if using chicken stock. I always use full salted broth or stock plus the kosher salt that’s called for in the recipe. But again, maybe try making the recipe as is and see how you like it and then make changes with the salt content. My kids love the recipe as is but I would prefer 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt instead of 1 teaspoon.
- Cheese : I use an Italian cheese blend for this recipe. It’s a bag of pre-shredded cheese and normally I say shred your own, but in this recipe either one does well. You can use any cheese variety you want.
- Cover While Baking : Covering the casserole pan with foil is a must! We want to keep all that hot air inside the casserole to help soften the pasta and the foil prevents the pasta from crisping up and burning.
- Don’t Use Frozen Broccoli : I don’t recommend using frozen broccoli instead of fresh. Frozen broccoli will give off too much liquid while it’s thawing and cooking in the casserole dish. I’ve only ever used fresh broccoli so those are the only results I can guarantee.
Dump and Bake Chicken Alfredo Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 box (16 oz) penne pasta
- 2 jars (15 oz each) alfredo sauce
- 3 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉. Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Add all the ingredients (not the cheese) into the casserole dish and stir it until it's well mixed.Cover the baking dish with tin foil.1 box (16 oz) penne pasta, 2 jars (15 oz each) alfredo sauce, 3 cups chicken stock or chicken broth, 2 cups cooked shredded chicken, 2 cups chopped fresh broccoli, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the pasta reaches your preferred texture. Uncover the baking dish halfway through the bake time and give it a good stir, and then put the tin foil back on and continue cooking it. * For al dente pasta cook for about 35 minutes. For softer pasta cook for 45 minutes.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle the cheese over top. Place it back into the oven, under the broiler, for a few minutes until the cheese has melted and started to turn light golden brown.2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
- Let set for about 5 minutes before serving it warm.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love to see it! You can share it with me on @togetherasfamilyblog and follow on Pinterest @together-as-family-blog-recipes or Facebook @togetherasfamilyblog for more!
Sounds delicious! I like my broccoli crisp-tender. Wouldn’t baking for 35 minutes make it too soft? I would appreciate your comments and suggestions.
I totally understand! The broccoli is soft after baking for 35 minutes so I would suggest shortening the cook time. The only other factor to be aware of is when the pasta is cooked, once that’s done then you can pull out the casserole when the broccoli is to your liking.
Thank you! This particular one is a favorite. I will use this for the next cross country pasta night. I’ve been looking for recipes just like this–simple, nourishing, and delicious. I’ve made a few of your recipes each week. I have enough for some leftovers, and my family loves them! This particular one is a favorite.
Thank you! I’m so glad you like it!