Parmesan Pasta with Chicken

5 from 3 votes

You don't even have to boil the pasta! A simple, creamy Parmesan Pasta with Chicken is ready for the oven with just 10 minutes of prep!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Keyword easy pasta recipe, Parmesan Pasta with Chicken, Parmesan Penne Pasta

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Resting Time 5

Total Time 55

Servings - 8 people

Calories 350.8kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

2 ½ cups Alfredo sauce
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese divided
1 (16 ounce) box uncooked penne pasta (about 5 1/3 cups dry)
9 ounces (about 1.75 – 2 cups) cooked, diced chicken
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
Optional garnish: additional chopped fresh parsley, basil or chives

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
In the prepared baking dish (or in a separate bowl), whisk together Alfredo sauce and chicken broth until completely combined.
Stir in the uncooked pasta, ½ cup of the cheese, chicken, parsley and garlic.
Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake for 35 minutes.
Uncover; stir. At this point, the pasta should be al dente (firm but just about finished cooking). There will still be plenty of liquid in the dish, but don’t worry – this will thicken as the dish continues to bake and cool.
If the pasta is still too hard after 35 minutes, just cover the dish and return to the oven until pasta is al dente. Then move on to the next step.
Sprinkle remaining ½ cup parmesan over top. Bake, uncovered, for 10 more minutes (or until cheese is melted and pasta is tender). Give it another stir, and allow to rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving (the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools).
Garnish fresh herbs, if desired.

Notes

Make a Parmesan Pasta with Chicken and Rosemary by stirring some fresh chopped rosemary right into the dish before baking. You can mix up the herbs and replace the chopped parsley with fresh basil, chives, or thyme, if you prefer.
This recipe calls for cooked, diced chicken. If you prefer, you can substitute with raw, diced chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or chicken tenderloins. Just make sure that the raw chicken is cut into very small bite-size pieces before it goes into the oven (this will ensure that it cooks through by the time the pasta is done).
I recommend using a wedge of Parmesan cheese and grating it by hand yourself (instead of using the pre-grated can of cheese). This freshly grated cheese will melt better into your parmesan pasta sauce.
I use jars of store-bought Alfredo sauce for convenience, but you can certainly use 2 1/2 cups of your favorite homemade Alfredo sauce.
While you can reheat any leftovers, this pasta is definitely best when enjoyed fresh out of the oven.
If you want to prep ahead, I suggest whisking together the liquid ingredients and keeping them separate from the rest of the dry ingredients until you're ready to bake the pasta. Just before it goes into the oven, pour the liquid over the rest of the ingredients in the dish, stir, and cover. If the dry pasta sits in the liquid too long, it will start to soften and break down (which yields a less desirable texture).
Cooking just for two? Cut all of the ingredients in half and prepare the pasta in an 8-inch square dish. The baking time remains the same.
For a shortcut, use leftover grilled or roasted chicken from a previous meal, use a store-bought rotisserie chicken, or purchase pre-cooked chicken strips (such as Perdue Short Cuts).
Don't have penne pasta on hand? You can substitute with a similar short pasta (such as rotini), which has the same suggested cooking time as the penne.

Nutrition