Reheat dinner
Creamy Alfredo that waits in the fridge for a tired night.
The pan is built and baked, broccoli folded right in so a vegetable is already handled.
A splash of milk keeps it creamy on the reheat, and a hungry kid is fed in about twelve minutes.
Ingredients
Set up post-practice chicken alfredo bake for serves 6, then keep the timing close to 12 minutes to reheat (assembled and baked earlier).
- 1 pound penne
- 1 jar (15 oz) Alfredo sauce
- 3 cups cooked diced chicken
- 3 cups frozen broccoli florets
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
How to Make It
Keep the timing for post-practice chicken alfredo bake honest by starting with the step that cannot be rushed.
- Earlier: boil the penne 2 minutes short of the package time, adding the frozen broccoli for the last 2 minutes, then drain.
- Stir together the pasta, broccoli, Alfredo sauce, milk, chicken, garlic powder, and 1 cup of the mozzarella.
- Spread it in a greased 9x13 pan, top with the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan, and bake at 375F for 25 minutes until bubbling.
- After practice, reheat a portion until steaming hot, about 12 minutes in the oven or 2 minutes in the microwave.
Do the Slow Part Early
Build and bake the pan ahead so dinner is just a reheat. Stirring milk into the Alfredo keeps it from seizing up when it goes back in the oven.
- Cook the pasta and broccoli together and dice the chicken earlier
- Assemble and fully bake the pan in the afternoon
- Cool and cover it, or portion it into reheatable containers
Store and Reheat
Alfredo thickens as it sits, so loosen it with a splash of milk when you reheat so it stays creamy instead of pasty.
- Microwave a portion 2 minutes with a splash of milk, stirring once
- Oven from chilled: 375F for 12 minutes, covered with foil
- From frozen: 375F for 35 minutes, foil on, until the center steams
- Serve with: Caesar salad, breadsticks
Make It Fit Tonight
Small Tweaks That Help This Dinner Land
Swap in shrimp
Cooked shrimp folds in for a quick scampi-style bake.
Add sun-dried tomatoes
A handful brightens the creamy sauce for the adults.
Use a rosa sauce
Stir in a half cup of marinara for a pink, tomato-cream version.
Swap the vegetable
Frozen peas or spinach work in place of broccoli.
Make it a freezer pan
Assemble a second unbaked pan and freeze it for a hard week.
Plan The Next Step
Plan your baked-ahead pans
Use the planner to keep a creamy bake ready for the weeks practice runs long.