Creamy Shredded Chicken Pasta Bake - This creamy pasta bake with chunks of chicken and lots of melty cheese is awesome comfort food and the perfect weeknight meal!
You'll also love our Caesar chicken pasta recipe! It's a one-pot meal that's perfect for busy weeknights.
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My mother-in-law (who usually prefers tomato sauce on her pasta) loves this dish and says it reminds her of chicken with alfredo sauce. She's not wrong. It's got a really rich cheesy sauce that is so dang good!
❤️ Why You'll Love Our Recipe
This is one of the best recipes for when you need to feed a crowd and it brings everyone to the dinner table in a flash!
I love easy recipes and this delicious casserole fits the bill. It's creamy and cheesy with a little crunch from the breadcrumb topping.
Ingredients
- butter
- olive oil
- onion
- fresh garlic or roasted garlic
- cream of chicken soup OR homemade cream soup substitute
- whole milk
- sour cream
- poultry seasoning or your favorite herb mix*
- mozzarella cheese
- parmesan cheese
- shredded chicken (or any cooked chicken)
- rotini pasta
- kosher salt and black pepper
- panko breadcrumbs
* A Note About Seasoning: I change this up depending on the mood I'm in and so can you. If poultry season isn't your thing, you can add 1 teaspoon of any dried herb like basil, tarragon, or parsley. You can also add your favorite dried herb mix like Italian Seasoning or Ranch Seasoning Mix.
This is meant to be a brief overview of the Creamy Chicken Pasta Bake recipe. For step-by-step instructions and a full printable recipe card with ingredients, please scroll down to the teal box below.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375-degrees F.
- Lightly butter a 9x13 casserole dish (or use cooking spray).
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain pasta and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onions in olive oil under soft and translucent.
- Add the minced garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more until fragrant.
- Stir in the cream soup, sour cream, and seasonings.
- Slowly whisk in the milk a little at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
- Next, mix in all of the parmesan cheese and 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese. Remove the pan from the heat and stir until the cheeses melt.
- Toss the cooked pasta and chicken into the creamy cheese sauce.
- Transfer the chicken mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- Top with remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Mix together 6 tablespoons of melted butter with the breadcrumbs and mix with a fork. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
- Bake until golden brown and bubbly.
Equipment
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- 9x13 Baking dish
- Large stock pot
- Large Skillet
- Whisk
- Rubber Spatula
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💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions (and answers!) readers often ask about this shredded chicken casserole recipe.
Evaporated milk can be substituted for whole milk one for one.
Use ½ cup heavy cream and ½ cup water to substitute 1 cup of whole milk.
Soy milk is the best for baking and works well in casseroles as well. You can also use almond milk or oat milk.
Romano or Pecorino romano work well instead of parmesan. Asiago makes a great substitution as well.
Parsley, basil, thyme, and oregano all pair well with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
⭐ Ang's Tips
✔️ Take care not to overcook the pasta or it will become mushy when it bakes. Al dente pasta should have a slight bite to it still.
✔️ If your cheese sauce is too thick, add a little bit of chicken broth to thin it out.
✔️ Drain all excess liquid from the pasta before mixing it with the cheese sauce.
Storage
To Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. (These are my favorite airtight containers.)
To Reheat: The best way to reheat this chicken pasta casserole the next day is in a skillet over low heat. Add a splash of milk while gently tossing the chicken and pasta around to warm through. However, small individual portions can be reheated in the microwave.
I do not recommend freezing this casserole. Because of the amount of dairy, this recipe is best eaten the same or next day.
Related: Casseroles Using Cream of Chicken Soup
📖 Variations
Like most pasta recipes, this dish can be made with elbow macaroni, penne pasta, or whatever shape you like. Substitute gluten-free pasta if you prefer. Veggie or whole wheat pasta make this yummy dinner recipe a bit healthier.
The first time you try any new recipe we recommend that you make it just as it is written on the recipe card since that is how the recipe has been tested. However, the next time you make our recipe, you might want to try one of these ideas:
- Since I almost always have shredded chicken in my fridge or freezer, this is what I typically use, however, you can use leftover chicken breasts or chicken thighs, or leftover rotisserie chicken if you want.
- Cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom, cream of celery or any other cream soup will work for this recipe. I like to use my own homemade cream soup substitute when I have a little extra time.
- For a little kick, add a can of diced green chilies or diced tomatoes with green chilies. Or, add a pinch of red pepper flake to the cream sauce for a little hint of heat.
- You can substitute the mozzarella. Other good melting cheeses like colby, swiss, muenster, provolone, or fontina all work well. I also like to add a little bit of cheddar cheese on top before adding the breadcrumbs.
- Add your favorite frozen veggies like green beans, carrots, peas, broccoli, corn, or bell pepper to the pasta and chicken mixture.
- Add 4 strips of cooked bacon, crumbled, to the top with the breadcrumb mixture.
- If you are out of sour cream, you can use cream cheese instead.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
This creamy pasta bake is all I want... and I want seconds, too. However, I do try to serve a somewhat balanced meal to my kiddos so if I don't add frozen veggies to the mix then I usually serve it with one of these yummy side dishes:
- Simple but tasty Honey Glazed Baby Carrots
- Sauteed Parmesan Asparagus (with or without cranberries)
- Lightly sauteed Garlic Green Beans with Cowboy Butter
😋 Similar Recipes
Next time, try one of these delicious recipes:
Creamy Chicken Pasta Bake
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Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup OR homemade cream soup substitute
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2½ cups mozzarella cheese divided
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or favorite herb mix
- 3 cups shredded chicken
- 1 lb rotini pasta
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onions in olive oil and butter under soft and translucent.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 small onion, 8 tablespoons butter
- Add the minced garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more until fragrant.3 cloves fresh garlic
- Stir in the cream soup, sour cream, and seasonings.1 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup OR homemade cream soup substitute, ½ cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or favorite herb mix, kosher salt and black pepper
- Slowly whisk in the milk a little at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.2 cups whole milk
- Next, mix in all of the parmesan cheese and 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese. Remove the pan from the heat and stir until the cheeses melt.⅓ cup parmesan cheese, 2½ cups mozzarella cheese
- Toss the cooked chicken and pasta into the creamy cheese sauce.3 cups shredded chicken, 1 lb rotini pasta
- Transfer the chicken mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- Top with remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese.
- Mix together 6 tablespoons of melted butter with the breadcrumbs and mix with a fork. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
Equipment
- Large stock pot
Nutrition
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