Chicken Alfredo Bake
Ingredients
1 pound penne
4 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing baking dish
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup shredded Mozzarella
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
Directions
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain it immediately and set it aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a large 9″-x-13″ baking dish.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Season both sides of the chicken with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add it to the skillet and cook until chicken is cooked through, 8 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and wipe the skillet clean. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing crosswise.
Return the skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, or about 30 seconds. Whisk in the flour and cook until the mixture is bubbling and golden, 1 minute more. Gradually pour in the half-and-half, whisking constantly. Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir in the Parmesan. Let it simmer until the sauce thickens, 1 minute, then season it with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine the pasta, chicken, and Alfredo sauce. Spread about half of the pasta mixture on the bottom of the baking dish, then sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Add the remaining pasta mixture and top it with more mozzarella.
Bake until the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Garnish the pasta with parsley before serving.
