Make-ahead casserole
Thaw it overnight, add a splash of milk, and the sauce comes back creamy.
You want a rich, comforting dinner without standing at the stove building a sauce.
You froze this ready to bake, so a thawed pan and a stir of milk is the whole job tonight.
Ingredients
Start freezer chicken alfredo bake with the ingredients here and a clear about 35 minutes to assemble, then freeze slot.
- 1 pound penne or rotini, cooked just under al dente
- 3 cups cooked diced chicken
- 1 jar (15 oz) alfredo sauce, plus 1/2 cup milk
- 3 cups frozen broccoli florets, chopped small
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
How to Make It
Prepare freezer chicken alfredo bake with one backup bite in mind before the main pan gets mixed together.
- Loosen the alfredo sauce with the milk so it does not dry out in the freezer.
- Toss the pasta, chicken, broccoli, and sauce together.
- Spread in a 9x13 pan and top with mozzarella and parmesan.
- Cover tightly and freeze without baking.
Freeze It
Cream sauces tighten up in the freezer, so loosen this one with extra milk before freezing and stir a splash more in when it reheats.
- Freeze in a foil or oven-safe pan, covered tightly (best within 2 months)
- Two 8x8 pans reheat faster than one big 9x13
- Label with the bake-from-frozen time
Thaw and Reheat on Practice Night
Thaw overnight for the quickest bake, and add a splash of milk to bring the sauce back to creamy.
- Thawed: bake covered at 375F for 30 minutes, uncover 10 minutes
- From frozen: covered at 375F for 65 to 75 minutes, then uncover 10 minutes
- Stir a couple tablespoons of milk into the hot bake if it looks thick
- Serve with: a green salad, garlic bread
Parent Tip
Chop the broccoli small so broccoli-skeptics get the vegetable without big florets.
Make It Fit Tonight
Small Tweaks That Help This Dinner Land
Swap broccoli for peas or spinach
Any soft green folds into the alfredo the same way.
Use rotisserie chicken to skip cooking
Shredded store chicken makes assembly even faster.
Leave out the chicken for a meatless bake
Extra broccoli and cheese stand in for the protein.
Stir in sun-dried tomatoes
Adds a tangy pop that brightens the creamy sauce.
Top with seasoned breadcrumbs
Gives the bake a crunchy, baked-pasta crust.
Plan The Next Step
Assemble a pan
Add an alfredo-bake session to the planner and freeze it ready to thaw.