Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Bake

Perfect choice! A Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Bake is creamy, cheesy, and baked until bubbly with golden goodness. Here’s a full recipe:

🧄🧀 Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Bake

Ingredients

• 12 oz pasta (penne or rotini work great)

• 2 cups cooked chicken (shredded or cubed — rotisserie works too)

• 3 tbsp butter

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour

• 2 cups milk (whole or 2%)

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 1 cup heavy cream (or substitute with more milk)

• 1 ½ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

• Salt & black pepper, to taste

• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Cook pasta: Boil pasta in salted water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. Make the sauce:

   • In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.

   • Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.

   • Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.

   • Slowly whisk in milk, chicken broth, and cream until smooth.

   • Stir in Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer until thick and creamy.

3. Combine: Stir pasta and chicken into the sauce until well coated.

4. Assemble: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella.

5. Bake: Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.

6. Serve: Garnish with parsley and extra Parmesan.

✨ Variations:

• Add spinach, broccoli, or mushrooms for veggies.

• Use fontina or provolone along with mozzarella for a gooey cheese pull.

• For crunch, sprinkle buttered panko breadcrumbs on top before baking.

Would you like me to also give you a slow cooker version that you can just dump, cook, and finish with cheese on top?