Monday, December 2, 2024

Recipe: Dump-and-Bake Chicken Alfredo Casserole

Image found here

Get ready because I'm going to be posting LOTS of recipes this week! It's that time of year when you're hunkered down at home because the nights are chilly, it's the holiday season, and you've got LOTS of leftovers (and lots of football to watch, too!).

I made this casserole recipe from the Seasoned Mom blog, less to do with the reasons listed above and more because I think casseroles are great for meal prep. I have to go into the office five days a week with my new job, which means I eat the majority of my lunches (and actually my breakfasts as well) at work. So I have to prepare ten meals a week just for that! And casseroles make it easy. And this recipe is easy, too, with only three steps!

Ingredients

  • 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked rotini pasta
  • 22 oz jar Alfredo sauce (about 1 very large 22-ounce jar or 1 ½ 15-ounce jars) (~ 2 ½ cups total)
  • 3 cups chicken stock (or substitute with chicken broth)
  • 2 cups diced or shredded rotisserie chicken (or other diced cooked chicken)
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 large cloves)
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or Italian blend cheese)
  • Optional garnish: Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, oregano, or parsley

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large baking dish, stir together uncooked pasta, Alfredo sauce, chicken stock, chicken and garlic. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  2. Uncover; give the pasta a good stir. At this point you should check the pasta to make sure that it is al dente (firm but with a tender bite). I have had good luck with the 30-minute cook time; however, some readers have noted that it required about 10 or 15 minutes longer. If it’s still too hard after 30 minutes, just cover the dish and return to the oven until pasta is al dente. Then move on to the next step. Sprinkle mozzarella over the top.
  3. Bake, uncovered, for 8-10 more minutes, or until the cheese melts. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan or fresh chopped herbs if desired.

I love that not only could I just throw everything together, but I didn't even have to cook the pasta first! I did not bother with the herbs, but I did realize later that this recipe has ZERO vegetables in it. It's already not healthy because of the alfredo sauce, but no veggies?! So when I've been eating a portion, I top it with a third of a bell pepper (diced) before microwaving it. I guess you could also make a side salad, but that's too much work (the opposite of this recipe!). 

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