You don’t even have to boil the pasta for this creamy chicken pesto alfredo! It combines two of the best pasta sauces in one easy casserole: basil pesto and rich Alfredo, with tender chicken, fresh spinach, and juicy tomatoes. With just 10 minutes of prep and one dish to wash, it’s the kind of weeknight dinner the whole family comes back for.
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Before You Get Started
A few tips to make sure your casserole turns out creamy and perfectly cooked every time:
- Measure your Alfredo sauce carefully. You need about 2 ½ cups total. One standard 15-oz jar isn’t quite enough, so grab the larger 22-oz size, or plan on using two smaller jars and measuring out the right amount.
- Use a pasta with an 8-10 minute cook time. Mezzi rigatoni is ideal, but penne, rotini, or elbows all work. Pasta with a very different cook time will throw off the baking window and leave you with noodles that are either crunchy or mushy.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil. The pasta cooks by absorbing liquid and steam, and any gaps will leave you with undercooked noodles. Check for al dente at the 40-minute mark before you uncover and add the cheese.
How to Make Chicken Pesto Alfredo
This dump-and-bake pasta comes together fast. Pesto and Alfredo are an unexpected combination that just works. The herby brightness of the basil pesto cuts through the richness of the cream sauce, and together they create something that tastes like it took a lot more effort than it did.
You’ll find the full recipe card below, but here’s the walk-through:
Step 1: Mix the Sauce and Stir Everything Together
Preheat your oven to 425°F and grease a 13×9-inch baking dish. Whisk together the Alfredo sauce, chicken broth, white wine, pesto, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and onion powder right in the prepared dish.
Stir in the cooked chicken, uncooked pasta, and well-drained diced tomatoes until everything is coated in the sauce.
⇢ Drain the tomatoes well. Extra liquid from the can can throw off the sauce ratio and leave you with a watery casserole.
⇢ Use the larger jar of Alfredo. The pasta absorbs a significant amount of liquid as it bakes, so you need that full 2 ½ cups of sauce. A single small jar won’t be enough.
Step 2: Bake Covered Until the Pasta is Al Dente
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
When you pull it out to check, the pasta should be al dente: firm but just about cooked through, with most of the liquid absorbed and the sauce looking creamy rather than soupy. If the noodles still have a hard center, re-cover and bake for another 5-10 minutes.
⇢ Don’t overbake this step. Al dente here is intentional. The pasta finishes cooking under the broiler, so if it’s already fully soft when you uncover it, it’ll be mushy by the time the cheese melts.
⇢ If the casserole looks dry when you uncover it, stir in a small splash of broth before adding the spinach and cheese. Different pasta brands and baking dishes absorb liquid at different rates.
Step 3: Add the Spinach, Top with Cheese, and Broil
Give the pasta a gentle stir with a fork, then fold in the chopped fresh spinach.
Sprinkle the shredded Italian cheese blend over the top.
Slide the dish under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, just until the cheese melts and starts to get golden and bubbly around the edges.
⇢ Stay close during broiling. This step only takes 1-2 minutes, and ovens vary. Pull it as soon as the cheese is melted and just starting to bubble. It can go from perfect to burnt quickly under the broiler.
Garnish with fresh basil, parsley, or a sprinkle of Parmesan before serving.
Recipe Variations
Chicken options: The recipe calls for cooked rotisserie chicken, but raw chicken works just as well. Dice about 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs into bite-size pieces and add them at the start with the uncooked pasta. The chicken cooks through in the oven by the time the noodles are tender.
Pasta swaps: Penne, rotini, or elbows are all solid substitutes for mezzi rigatoni. The key is picking a shape with a similar cook time (8-10 minutes on the package). A pasta that cooks significantly faster or slower will need a baking time adjustment.
Adjusting the recipe: Skip the wine and substitute with an equal amount of extra chicken broth or water. To add more vegetables, grated zucchini or sliced fresh mushrooms both work well stirred in with the pasta. For a crunchy topping, add buttered breadcrumbs before the broil step.
Cooking for a smaller family: Cut all ingredients in half and bake in an 8-inch square pan. Start checking the pasta after about 35 minutes.
My family LOVES this! Easy, flavorful, and re-heats well.
– Sandi
Serving Suggestions
This creamy pasta bake is rich enough to be the star of the table. A few simple sides are all it needs to round out the meal:
- Garlic bread or focaccia for soaking up the sauce
- Simple green salad with Dijon vinaigrette or lemon vinaigrette
- House salad with candied pecans for something a little more special
- Marinated vegetable salad for a bright, tangy contrast
- Garlic roasted broccoli, which pairs perfectly with the pesto flavors
Storage
Make-Ahead: Assemble the casserole a few hours in advance, or even the night before, and refrigerate until ready to bake. The pasta will start to soften and absorb some of the liquid as it sits, so check for doneness a few minutes earlier than the recipe calls for and watch closely to avoid mushy noodles.
Refrigerator: Leftovers keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days. The pasta will dry out a bit as it sits, so stir in a splash of Alfredo sauce or broth when you reheat it. Individual portions reheat well in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this casserole. Pasta tends to get gummy and mushy when thawed, and the cream sauce can separate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use raw chicken instead of rotisserie?
Yes! Dice about 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs into bite-size pieces and add them to the dish along with the uncooked pasta. The chicken cooks through right in the oven by the time the noodles are tender. No pre-cooking needed.
What pasta works best for this recipe?
Mezzi rigatoni is what the recipe was developed and tested with, but penne, rotini, or elbows are all solid substitutes. The most important thing is to pick a pasta with a similar cook time, about 8-10 minutes on the package. A pasta that cooks significantly faster or slower will need a baking time adjustment to match.
My pasta came out mushy. What happened?
The most common culprit is over-baking. The pasta should be al dente when you uncover the dish at 40 minutes, still slightly firm, because it continues to cook under the broiler. If it’s already fully soft at that stage, it’ll be overdone by the time the cheese melts. Also check that your foil was sealed tightly during baking, since steam escaping can cause uneven cooking.
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Watch How to Make It
Pesto Alfredo Chicken Pasta
Equipment
- 9 x 13-Inch Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 1 (22-ounce) jar Alfredo sauce, or about 2 ½ cups total (use two 15-ounce jars if needed)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup dry white wine (or substitute with extra broth or water)
- ¼ cup prepared basil pesto
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (reduce or omit if you prefer mild)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 cups diced rotisserie chicken (or other cooked chicken)
- 1 (16-ounce) package uncooked mezzi rigatoni (or penne, rotini, or elbows with a similar cook time)
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, well drained
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend (or mozzarella)
- Optional garnish: grated Parmesan, fresh basil, parsley, or oregano
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F and grease a 13×9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In the prepared dish, whisk together the Alfredo sauce, broth, wine, pesto, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Stir in the cooked chicken, uncooked pasta, and well-drained tomatoes until everything is evenly coated.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. When the timer goes off, uncover and stir gently with a fork. The pasta should be al dente: firm but nearly cooked through, with most of the liquid absorbed. If the noodles still have a hard center, re-cover and return to the oven in 5-minute increments until done.
- Fold the spinach into the pasta, then sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top.
- Broil for 1-2 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted and starting to bubble and brown.
- Garnish with fresh herbs and serve immediately.
Notes
- Alfredo sauce amount matters. You need a full 2 ½ cups total. One standard 15-oz jar isn’t enough. Use the 22-oz size or measure out the right amount from two smaller jars.
- Pasta cook time is key. Stick with a short pasta that has an 8-10 minute recommended cook time on the package. A pasta that cooks significantly faster or slower will need a baking time adjustment.
- Cover tightly. The pasta cooks by absorbing steam and liquid. Any gaps in the foil can result in unevenly cooked or crunchy noodles.
- Don’t overbake before the broil step. Pull the casserole when the pasta is al dente (still slightly firm). It will finish cooking under the broiler. Fully soft pasta at the 40-minute mark will turn mushy.
- If it looks dry when you uncover it, stir in a small splash of chicken broth before adding the spinach and cheese. Different pans and pasta brands absorb liquid at slightly different rates.
- Glass or ceramic dishes take longer than metal pans. Start checking doneness a few minutes earlier if using a metal pan.
- Raw chicken option: Dice 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs into bite-size pieces and add at the start with the uncooked pasta. It will cook through by the time the noodles are done.
Nutrition
Originally published in January, 2024, this post was updated in April, 2026.
My family LOVES this! Easy, flavorful, and re-heats well.
Thank you so much, Sandi! We’re glad you enjoy it.
This is the first time that I made any of the “dump” recipes. It was fantastic. I recently became disabled so a lot of time in the kitchen is difficult. I am looking forward to making the Alfredo Chicken Casseroles and others.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Irene! We hope this and our other dump and bake recipes make cooking a little easier for you.