Chicken Alfredo Bake

This is such a cozy comfort food dish! It all works together very well, and comes together quickly. I really, really, really love casserole dishes like this. Cheesy, saucy, tender protein and broccoli. It is a delicious way to end the day.

I love casserole dishes like this to use up odds and ends protein and veggies - you can use just about anything you want in place of the chicken and broccoli if you have some leftover ham or steak to use up, or some green beans or peas you'd rather mix in.

You can sprinkle on some crushed ritz crackers or chips for extra crunch during the last 10 minutes of baking too if you'd like! We often use casserole dishes like this to use up the end of a bag of chips or sleeve of crackers.

Chicken Alfredo Bake

Ingredients
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups cooked/diced chicken (seasoned lightly with salt and pepper)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 lb medium pasta shells (can use any type of pasta)
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Cheese Sauce
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter
1 TBS minced garlic (jarred)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups half and half (or mix of milk / whipping cream / half and half)
1 to 1 1/2 Parmesan cheese (shredded / grated)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. 
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and boil the noodles per package directions. Add the broccoli during the last three to four minutes to par-cook it. When cooked, drain and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet melt the butter for the cheese sauce over medium heat. When melted, whisk in the flour until fully incorporated. Slowly whisk in your half and half (or milk / whipping cream) until smooth and fully incorporated (if too thick, thin with a little additional liquid, you can use a little bit of broth in place of some of the cream if desired). Bring the mix to a slow bubble and whisk in the cheese and minced garlic. Taste and add a little salt and pepper for seasoning, if desired.
4. Turn heat off and set aside.
5. If your skillet is large enough, you can add the pasta, chicken, and broccoli to the skillet and gently toss to combine, or add all of these items to a large bowl. Gently toss to evenly coat everything with the sauce and then scrape mixture into the prepared 9x13 baking dish.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, add shredded mozzarella cheese and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is fully melted and casserole is bubbling.

Recipe adapted from The Cozy Cook