Simple, nutritious, delicious—this Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake has it all! It should be called ALLfredo...
Chicken alfredo pasta bake
This healthier chicken alfredo pasta bake is the BEST. It’s creamy, easy to make, and totally delicious. It’s more nutritious than standard pasta bakes, with 39 g of protein and less than 400 calories per serving.
On top of that, it’s quick and easy to make. This will be your new favorite dinner recipe!
Why chicken aldredo?
Let’s be real, chicken alfredo is SO good. In an effort to create a lightened up version of chicken alfredo, I present to you this healthy chicken alfredo pasta bake!
It's got all the delicious flavors of regular chicken alfredo but is family-friendly, nutritious, and ready in 30 minutes.
What ingredients do I need?
- Chicken - Adding shredded chicken into the pasta will give off total chicken alfredo vibes (let’s be real, we love those vibes). Plus it will add quite a bit of protein! There are a few options for how to get shredded chicken. You can buy a cooked rotisserie chicken and shred it, cook chicken breasts and shred them, or use canned shredded chicken. Each of these options will work great!
- Banza penne pasta - The recipe calls for 8 oz (one box) of Banza pasta. Really you can use any kind of protein or regular pasta that you want!
- Alfredo sauce - The alfredo sauce is KEY for this recipe. You can use any kind of alfredo sauce you like best to create a creamy, cheesy pasta bake.
- Parmesan - Adding some shredded parmesan to melt as the pasta cooks will create an extra cheesy pasta bake (which we want!)
- Spinach - We will mix in some spinach for some leafy greens! You could leave this out and the recipe would still turn out great.
- Red pepper flakes - Sprinkling red pepper flakes on the top of the casserole is totally optional, but will really add the perfect extra kick!
Can I make substitutions to the recipe?
- Chicken – I use canned chicken because it’s it’s easier, quicker, and cheaper. However, if you have some leftover chicken breast you can shred yourself or want to use a rotisserie chicken, you can totally use those options instead!
- Cheese – Adding more cheese will make this better. I like to add alfredo and parmesan, but you can use only one of them or another favorite to make this cheesier.
- Pasta - This recipe can be made with any kind of pasta.
- Spinach - If spinach isn't your thing, you can opt out.
What equipment do I need for the recipe?
The only equipment you’ll need for this recipe is an oven and a casserole dish. A 9 x 13 dish will work great!
What is the process?
This pasta bake is so quick and easy! Here’s how to make it:
- Prepare the chicken (with salt and pepper) and pasta.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the pasta, shredded chicken, ½ the parmesan, and alfredo sauce. Stir until chicken and pasta are coated. Toss in spinach to mix.
- Pour the pasta mixture into the casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly across the top of the pasta.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
- After cooking, top with red pepper flakes.
- Enjoy!
How do I store it?
This buffalo chicken pasta bake is so tasty right when it comes out of the oven! If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge and use between 4-5 days.
Can I reheat it?
You can reheat this pasta bake in the microwave or oven.
- For the microwave: Cook 2-3 minutes.
- For the oven: Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.
I like to add some extra cheese when I’m reheating this dish.
Looking for more recipes?
Here are some more family-friendly casseroles:
Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake
Equipment
- casserole dish
- oven
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken cooked & shredded
- 8 oz Banza penne pasta, cooked or other protein pasta
- 1 cup alfredo sauce
- ¾ cup parmesan shredded
- 2 cups spinach
- Optional: red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken (with salt and pepper) and pasta. (Cook both!)
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the pasta, shredded chicken, ½ the parmesan, and alfredo sauce. Stir until chicken and pasta are coated. Toss in spinach to mix.
- Pour the pasta mixture into the casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly across the top of the pasta.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
- After cooking, top with red pepper flakes.
- Enjoy!
Julia Robison says
I'm excited to make this recipe since so many have commented on how good it is. The recipe calls for 1.5 chicken Is it lbs, chicken breasts or what the measurement should be?
Jordan Smith says
Hey Julia, it's 1.5 lbs of shredded and cooked chicken. You can use chicken breast, canned chicken, rotisserie chicken, or whatever is easiest for you!
Crystal K says
Super yummy, so fast and easy! I used canned chicken my first time because it’s what I had on hand but will def be making it again and plan to try Costco rotisserie chicken next time 🙂
Tori says
Jordo doesn’t disappoint. This is a quick tasty meal that will bring your family together and make it look like you slaved over it!
Tiffany Hempfling says
This recipe was quick, easy and delicious! I made it for my meal prep for the week and it was so good I ended up eating it for lunch today!
Chelsea says
I have waited for this and it did not disappoint! Highly recommend trying with broccoli—we were huge fans! If you like your pasta with a little more sauce, maybe add 1/4 more sauce, otherwise this meal is INCREDIBLE. FOUR THUMBS UP FROM ME AND HUBS!
Michelle says
@Chelsea, broccoli sounds so good!! Did you throw it in raw or frozen or did you cook it before adding to the oven?
Kelsey Weeks says
So amazingly yummy!! Will be a repeat meal in this house! Love how easy and delicious all of Jordos meals turn out!!
Anita Peters says
Absolutely delicious and filling! I'm in my 2nd cut and this meal fits the macros I need perfectly and I'm so excited for leftovers!
Abby says
THE EASIEST dinner you’ll ever throw together, which I can really appreciate as a mom! It’s a meal that was as delicious as it was satisfying, and something I didn’t once feel guilty about eating. Such a great way to end the day and get enough protein in! I also really appreciate how accessible it is to virtually every family and their varying budgets!
Michelle Hudson says
I made this for my whole extended family on vacation last month and everyone LOVED it! It’s so easy to double the recipe for larger crowds and make ahead of time! Highly recommend this dinner recipe.
Linda says
@Michelle Hudson, I wanted to make this for Christmas a two days ahead of time do you think this would be ok
Sarah says
Super easy and super tasty!
Khristi says
Our family loves this recipe! It’s so delicious and easy to make! Like most all of her recipes (I say most because I haven’t tried them all…yet) they taste great and are budget friendly.
Katie H says
Simple and healthy comfort food = the ultimate combination. Making this for dinner again tomorrow and I'm PUMPED. Jordo knocked it out of the park yet again with this delicious pasta bake. Simple ingredients and super easy to make
Kelsey says
Another fabulous Jordo recipe! I'm not sure it gets any easier than this 😉 will be making again!
Allison R says
Easy and delicious! With two hungry (but sometimes picky) kids, this is exactly the recipe I needed. A must try!
Kay Lynn Thomas says
This was super easy to make and I love all the protein! The spinach was a great addition. My family also loved this meal!