Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake

Every piece of chicken and penne pasta is generously coated with Alfredo and cheeses while baking. This Cheesy Chicken Pasta Bake makes an easy casserole recipe that will make your taste buds smile!

Recipe For Penne Alfredo With Chicken

A trio of mozzarella, ricotta and parmesan cheeses add a depth to the already rich and creamy Alfredo, pasta, and chicken mixture that is the base of this recipe. 

The ridges on the cylindrical shaped penne pasta hold all of the cheesy Alfredo sauce that makes this recipe amazing. Pro tip – save a few noodles at the end to totally clean the cheesy chicken combo off your plate.

A layer of bread crumbs on top become toasted and lightly browned giving this dish the perfect finish. I could eat the top layer of mozzarella cheese with the Italian bread crumbs baked in as a meal!

Also known as Three Cheese Chicken Alfredo Bake and Chicken Alfredo Casserole we enjoy how parsley adds fresh flavor and visual interest to a creamy white pasta casserole. 

Chicken can be added to our Baked Mostaccioli or Crock Pot Spaghetti, but we just like it the best white cheese and white sauce in this chicken Alfredo and penne combination.

Why This Chicken Pasta Bake Works:

• Great for meal prep – casserole can be made ahead of time, refrigerated and bake when ready
• Perfect meal to take to someone who just had a baby, lost a loved one or needs a pick-me-up
• Even picky eaters love a simple cheese and pasta combination
• Only 15 minutes of hands on time and 30 minutes in the oven before this meal is on the table
• Can make a full batch, bake half now and freeze the other half for a quick meal later on

What Do you Eat with Penne Alfredo?

Tastes great served with slices of Garlic Texas Toast and a simple salad or roasted green vegetable like broccoli.

Ingredients Needed:

• Penne pasta – creates the most filling part of this casserole – mostaccioli is similar in shape to penne rigate and works fine too
• Cooked chicken – we like to shred a rotisserie chicken to save time, if the pieces are big coarsely chop them too
• Alfredo sauce – a couple containers from the grocery store refrigerator section are our favorite as they are a little higher quality than a jar, but much easier than homemade
• Mozzarella cheese – melts beautifully and gives that beautiful cheese pull every time you lift the serving spoon out of the dish
• Ricotta cheese – fresh and creamy, this cheese gives more substance to the white sauce
• Parmesan cheese – compliments the alfredo sauce so beautifully – sometimes my kids like to sprinkle more parmesan on top
• Sour cream – more rich and moist flavors for the pasta to absorb in the baking process
• Garlic cloves – adds a pop of aromatic flavor – the amount is easy to adjust to suite personal preference
• Eggs – help thicken the creamy sauces and add a little richness
• Parsley – fresh parsley brightens the look and flavor of this creamy pasta bake
• Bread crumbs – we prefer Italian, but panko or regular work fine too – helps make a beautiful and lightly crunchy topping that I crave

How to Make This Chicken Pasta Bake

Cook the pasta to al dente according to the directions on the box using salted water.

Cook chicken if necessary or shred and chop a rotisserie chicken.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl add 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, alfredo sauce, sour cream, ricotta cheese, garlic, lightly beaten eggs and parmesan cheese.

Stir until well mixed.

This takes a pretty large mixing bowl to contain all of the ingredients and give adequate space to mix well.

Add cooked chicken.

Then add parsley and stir again.

Lightly coat a 9 x 13 dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Once mixed spread in casserole dish.

Sprinkle remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese over the top.

Then sprinkle bread crumbs.

Bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes until the edges are bubbly and the top starts to get golden brown.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Chicken Penne Alfredo Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Can use fresh or dried basil in place of parsley 
• Using a rotisserie chicken saves so much time
• Reducing from 3 cups of chicken to 1 to 2 cups would be fine because the dairy products are so satisfying
• Add slices of Kielbasa for a deeper complimentary meat flavor
• I love the lightly browned layer of mozzarella cheese and bread crumbs on top, but if you prefer an all creamy meal then stir the mozzarella in and bake covered with foil
• A cup or two of fresh baby spinach enhances this pasta recipe with more vegetables
• Can use homemade Alfredo, a jar or a refrigerated container which is our favorite

Do You Cook Pasta Before Baking?

The pasta in this baked pasta dish should be cooked al dente before baking. The pasta will soften a little bit in the oven and absorb some of the extra liquid in the dish. Baking is more about melting the cheese and warming everything together.

What Type of Pasta is Best for Pasta Bake?

Penne pasta is great for this baked casserole because the surface area helps scoop up the cheesy, creamy, meaty mixture all around it.

Should Pasta Be Baked Covered or Uncovered?

When baked uncovered the top will get a little brown and slightly toasted which is perfect when using breadcrumbs. 

Covering the dish with foil keeps the pasta bake soft and creamy. Bread crumbs are not recommended if this is the preferred finish.

More Easy Meals with Pasta

Pizza Casserole is great with noodles or pasta as the crust and is so easy to make.

Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan makes a classic dish with spaghetti all in the slow cooker.

Easy Crock Pot Mac & Cheese is so simple and always popular at holidays and big family meals.

Cheesy Chicken Pasta with Velveeta Casserole has a bag of frozen Italian veggies and can of rotel for an easy twist that’s enjoyable.