Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti
Tender chicken and pasta in an ultra creamy, cheesy sauce make this Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti an incredibly easy and filling weeknight meal.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti
- 3 cups uncooked Ziti pasta or any small pasta
- 2 cups shredded/diced cooked chicken breast (1 large chicken breast)
- 1 batch Alfredo sauce see options below, or use one jar of premade sauce
- 1 1/2 cups fresh shredded Mozzarella cheese
- Salt and pepper
- French minced parsley for garnish
Lighter Alfredo sauce (see traditional Alfredo in the notes below)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup half & half or milk or cream
- 3/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a medium sized (11"x7" or similar) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Add uncooked ziti to a pot of boiling, salted water. Cook until about 1 minute before al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, make alfredo sauce.
- In a large bowl or directly in the pan used to make the alfredo sauce, stir in chicken and pasta to coat. Spoon half of the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Layer with half of Mozzarella cheese, remaining pasta mixture, then top with remaining Mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until top is beginning to brown and sauce is bubbly.
- Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with fresh minced parsley, if desired.
Lighter Alfredo Sauce
- Melt butter in a 4-quart pot over medium heat.
- Add garlic and cook, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes or until golden. Whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes or until golden.
- Stir in chicken broth and milk and bring to a boil. Simmer for several minutes, or until sauce is thickened, stirring often.
- Remove from heat and stir in fresh grated Parmesan cheese until melted.
Notes
If you'd prefer to use the traditional Alfredo Sauce, here is that recipe:
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup half and half (or all heavy cream)
- ¾ cup fresh shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Melt butter in a 4-quart pot over medium-low heat.
- Add garlic and cook, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes or until golden. Stir in half & half and bring to a simmer (do not boil).
- Stir in fresh grated Parmesan cheese until melted.
- Season sauce with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 705kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 31g
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