Easy Chicken Alfredo Casserole

Move over, Olive Garden! Oh, yea, this is that good! Not difficult to prepare and the result is spectacularly delicious.

I used a grocery-store rotisserie chicken that was on sale. The pasta was on sale. The cheese was on sale! The Alfredo sauce was on sale! This makes quite a bit and it's filling. Perfect for a family. In fact, I would not hesitate to serve this to guests. A nice green salad with fresh tomatoes, an artisan loaf of bread, a chilled bottle of Rose or a nice Zinfandel and this is a meal guests will brag about for days afterward. Have printed recipes available.

I have made this with spaghetti and mini penne. Both are fine.  Had I fresh basil, I would have swapped it for the parsley. This is a great "make-ahead recipe." For this recipe, I used three 5 x 5 baking dishes, because I gave some away; otherwise, use an 11 x 7 pan or dish or something comparable.

 

Use judgement on the fresh garlic. Since it is added raw, it can be sharp.  It only cooks once it is placed in the oven, not before. One could use garlic powder, instead.

I saved the crispy chicken skin and cut it up fine to add to the chicken. The skin has lots of flavors!

• 8 ounces pasta, (spaghetti or penne or what you have on hand)
• 1 and 1/2 cup jarred Alfredo sauce (I use mushroom Alfredo sauce) divided
• 4 ounces sour cream (1/2 cup)
• 8 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 to 1.5 cups cubed rotisserie chicken
• 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced, pressed or zested
  
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Parsley for garnish

Cook the pasta less one or two minutes before done. Drain. Transfer to a large bowl. Add a bit of butter so it doesn't stick. Season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, mix the chicken with one cup Alfredo sauce and sour cream. Add pepper to taste. Add the garlic and parsley/basil. In another bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, and Parmesan. Mix thoroughly. Add to the pasta. Now add the Chicken mixture. 

Place mixture in a lightly-oiled pan or dish. Drizzle with remaining 1/2 cup Alfredo sauce. Top with a thick layer of mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until bubbly. If the top is not brown, broil for about two minutes. This is best served hot. Enjoy!