You don’t even have to boil the pasta for this simple dump-and-bake chicken pesto Alfredo! With tomatoes, fresh spinach, and just 10 minutes of prep, the one-dish meal is seriously the world’s easiest weeknight dinner.
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If you love dump-and-bake pasta recipes, be sure to try this dump-and-bake meatball casserole, a pan of tuscan chicken pasta, my kids’ favorite sesame chicken noodles, an easy dump-and-bake ravioli casserole, a pan of hot dog casserole, and this dump-and-bake Italian sausage casserole, too!
My family LOVES this! Easy, flavorful, and re-heats well.
– Sandi
An Easy, Family-Friendly Chicken Pesto Alfredo Recipe
This pesto Alfredo chicken pasta is a guaranteed weeknight winner for so many reasons. It’s incredibly easy, thanks to the dump-and-bake method that skips boiling pasta or pre-cooking vegetables — everything cooks together in one dish for minimal prep and cleanup. The creamy, cheesy pasta is a family favorite, with tender noodles, juicy chicken, and fresh veggies that even picky eaters love. Bursting with flavor from basil pesto, white wine, Italian seasoning, garlic, onion, and a kick of red pepper flakes, this isn’t your average Alfredo. Plus, it’s endlessly versatile. For instance, swap the spinach for mushrooms or peas, use raw or rotisserie chicken, or toss in your favorite veggies to make it your own.
Pesto Alfredo Sauce is the Best of Both Worlds
Pesto and Alfredo sauce are two very different sauces, both of which are delicious with pasta. In general, pesto sauce includes parmesan cheese, salt, fresh basil, olive oil, garlic, and pine nuts. Creamy Alfredo sauce, by contrast, features heavy cream and cheese as the primary ingredients.
In this dish, you get the best of both worlds — a creamy pesto alfredo! The recipe combines both pesto and Alfredo sauce for a flavorful pasta bake that will make your tastebuds sing.
You Don’t Have to Cook the Pasta Before Putting it in the Casserole
While many casserole recipes call for cooking pasta before mixing it into the dish, this particular recipe is designed specifically for uncooked pasta. That means that you do not boil the noodles on the stovetop before adding them to the casserole dish.
Instead, the noodles cook right in the oven with the rest of the ingredients. This requires extra liquid in the pan (since the pasta absorbs a lot as it cooks), and extra cooking time to make sure that the noodles are tender.
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- You’ll need at least one large 22-ounce jar of Alfredo sauce. If you can’t find this larger size jar in your store, purchase two smaller (15 ounce) jars and measure out about 2 ½ cups of sauce total. One smaller jar won’t be quite enough.
- Pick a dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinto Grigio, or Pinto Gris. Use something that you enjoy drinking! If you don’t want to cook with wine, just sub with extra broth or water.
- Pick a store-bought basil pesto for convenience, or make your own homemade pesto when fresh basil is in season.
- You’ll need cooked chicken for this recipe, and a variety of options will work. Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken for a shortcut, or purchase cooked pulled chicken or cooked diced chicken at the grocery store. If you prefer to cook your own chicken at home to use in this recipe, boil about 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs until cooked through (about 15 minutes). When cool enough to handle, chop or pull the chicken.
- I use mezzi rigatoni pasta, which has a suggested cook time of 9 minutes on the package. If you can’t find mezzi rigatoni, then substitute with another short pasta shape with a similar cooking time, such as penne, rigatoni, or rotini. You may need to increase the total baking time for your casserole if you choose a different pasta.
- I like an Italian blend of cheeses, but shredded mozzarella also works.
How to Make Chicken Pesto Alfredo
This creamy chicken pesto alfredo makes weeknight dinners quick and easy! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Whisk together the sauce and seasoning. Stir in the chicken, uncooked pasta, and diced tomatoes.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Be careful not to overbake the casserole or the pasta will become mushy. Stir in the spinach and top with cheese.
- Broil for 1-2 minutes, until the cheese melts. Garnish the casserole with herbs like fresh basil or fresh parsley for a bright, colorful touch. Serve!
Did you make this recipe?
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Pesto Alfredo Chicken Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 (22 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce (or 1 ½ 15-ounce jars) (approximately 2 ½ cups total)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup white wine (or sub with additional chicken broth or water)
- ¼ cup prepared basil pesto
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (use less, or omit entirely if you don’t like it spicy)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 cups diced rotisserie chicken (or other diced cooked chicken)
- 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked mezzi rigatoni pasta (or other similar short pasta shape such as rotini or penne)
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, well drained
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend or mozzarella cheese
- Optional: Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped herbs such as basil, oregano, and parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish or spray with nonstick cooking spray. In the prepared baking dish (or in a separate large bowl), whisk together the Alfredo sauce, broth, wine, pesto, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir in the chicken, uncooked pasta, and diced tomatoes. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Uncover; stir gently with a fork. At this point you should check the pasta to make sure that it is al dente (firm but just about finished cooking). If it’s still too hard, cover the dish and return to the oven until pasta is al dente. Then move on to the next step.
- Stir the spinach into the pasta. Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Place the dish under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, just until the cheese melts and starts to get crispy on top. Watch the dish the entire time since the food can burn quickly under the broiler! Garnish with chopped fresh herbs and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Serving Suggestions
Pair the creamy chicken pesto pasta with easy sides like garlic bread or focaccia bread, a simple green salad dressed in Dijon vinaigrette or lemon vinaigrette, our favorite house salad with candied pecans, garlic roasted broccoli, or this marinated vegetable salad.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: You can assemble the casserole a few hours in advance, or even leave it covered in the fridge overnight before baking. The pasta will start to soften and absorb some of the liquid as it sits, so you may need to decrease the baking time slightly. You don’t want to overcook the casserole or you’ll end up with gummy, mushy pasta.
- Storage: This casserole is best enjoyed immediately from the oven. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The pasta will dry out a bit as it sits, so you may need to stir in some additional Alfredo sauce or stock when you reheat the dish. Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes.
- I do not recommend freezing this casserole because pasta has a tendency to get gummy and mushy when thawed.
Recipe Variations
- If you prefer to start with raw chicken instead of cooked, shredded chicken, you’ll need about 1 lb. of boneless skinless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs. Dice the chicken into bite-size pieces and add it to the casserole at the beginning (when you add the uncooked pasta). The chicken will be cooked through by the time the noodles are tender.
- Don’t have mezzi rigatoni? You can substitute with other similar short pasta shapes such as penne, rotini, or elbows. Just pick a pasta that has a similar cooking time as the mezzi rigatoni (about 8-10 minutes recommended on the package) — otherwise you’ll need to adjust the casserole’s baking time in the oven.
- For an alcohol-free dish, omit the white wine and replace it with water or extra broth.
- Add different vegetables to the dish. Good options include grated zucchini or sliced fresh mushrooms.
- Add buttered breadcrumbs on top for a crunchy texture.
- Cooking for a Smaller Family: Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in an 8-inch square pan. Check the pasta after 35 minutes, as it may be done slightly sooner than the larger pan.
More Chicken Pasta Casserole Recipes
Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Dump-and-Bake Chicken Alfredo Casserole
45 minutes mins
Originally published in January, 2024, this post was updated in June, 2025.
My family LOVES this! Easy, flavorful, and re-heats well.
Thank you so much, Sandi! We’re glad you enjoy it.