Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti
Chicken and ziti tossed in a creamy Alfredo sauce, baked with mozzarella cheese
Chicken and ziti tossed in a creamy Alfredo sauce, baked with mozzarella cheese
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 tbsp. flour
- chicken baked ziti ingredients:
- 12 ounces ziti (or any pasta shape)
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 2 small chicken breasts)
- 1 batch alfredo sauce (see below)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (i used 2% low fat)
- (optional toppings: additional shredded parmesan cheese
- alfredo sauce ingredients:
- 1 cup low-fat milk (i used 1%)
- 3/4 cup freshly-grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- Carbohydrate 54.4378133372204 g
- Cholesterol 1946.24000008981 mg
- Fat 423.551546689007 g
- Fiber 1.90733335049947 g
- Protein 503.567400034044 g
- Saturated Fat 126.361053347526 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (1716g)
- Sodium 2748.71200086863 mg
- Sugar 52.530479986721 g
- Trans Fat 33.7149733344896 g
- Calories 6172 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cook the pasta al dente in a large stockpot of well-salted boiling according to package instructions. Drain. Return pasta to the stockpot and add chicken and alfredo sauce. Gently toss to combine until the pasta is evenly coated.
- Pour half of the pasta into a greased 11x7-inch or 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup of cheese. Layer the remaining half of the pasta evenly on top. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and just barely starts to turn golden. Remove and serve immediately, sprinkled with additional toppings if desired.
- Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute one minute, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Sprinkle with flour, and stir to combine. Saute for an additional minute to cook the flour, stirring occasionally.
- Slowly add chicken broth, whisking to combine until smooth. Whisk in milk, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let cook for an additional minute until thickened, then stir in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper until the cheese melted. Remove from heat and set aside.
Bubbling golden mozzarella crowns a strata of tender ziti and savory chicken bound in a rich, velvety parmesan cream. Preparing this casserole ahead of time requires specific attention to the pasta stage during initial boiling. Cook the ziti strictly al dente, stopping two minutes before the package directions suggest, because the noodles will continue softening while absorbing liquid in the oven. Undercooking prevents the starch from breaking down into a mushy texture during baking.
Freezing and Reheating Strategies
Assembled unbaked casseroles freeze reliably for up to two months when tightly wrapped in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Thaw the dish overnight in the refrigerator before baking at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Direct freezer-to-oven baking requires extending the cook time to 50 minutes, covering the pan with foil for the first 35 minutes to prevent the cheese from burning before the center reaches a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Stir two tablespoons of warm chicken broth into leftover portions before microwaving to restore the sauce's emulsion.
- Glass baking dishes hold thermal mass longer than metal pans, altering the required rest time after removal from the heat source.
