We’re cookin’ up some classics tonight! Nothing can ever compare to the creamy, cheesy goodness of this Alfredo Baked Ziti. Sure, there are fancier pastas out there, but why bother with them when you can fill your belly with this bouncy ziti pasta that brings you shredded chicken and heart-healthy broccoli, too?! This melty, warm dish of Italian yumminess will always be enough for us, and we think you’ll feel the same! So, gather your favorite people because it’s pasta night… and this Alfredo Baked Ziti will forever be the star of it!
Ingredients
- For the Alfredo sauce:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 tablespoons flour
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
- 1 3/4 cups milk
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- salt, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- For the ziti:
- 12 ounces ziti pasta, cooked according to the package directions
- 2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
- 2 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Step 3 –Add the olive oil to a large sauté pan over medium heat.
Step 4 –Add the garlic to the oil and sauté, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 5 –Sprinkle the flour over the garlic oil and stir to combine. Sauté the garlic mixture, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute.
Step 6 –Slowly add the chicken broth to the garlic mixture and whisk to combine until smooth.
Step 7 –Whisk the milk into the garlic mixture and bring it to a simmer. Cook until it thickens, about 1 minute.
Step 8 –Add 1 cup of the parmesan cheese, the salt, and the pepper to the garlic mixture and stir until the cheese has melted.
Step 9 –Transfer the pot away from the heat and add the cooked pasta.
Step 10 –Add the chicken and the broccoli florets to the pasta-Alfredo mixture and toss to coat.
Step 11 –Pour 1/2 of the pasta-Alfredo mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Step 12 –Evenly sprinkle 3/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese over the pasta-Alfredo layer.
Step 13 –Evenly pour the remaining pasta-Alfredo mixture over the top of the cheese layer.
Step 14 –Evenly sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over the pasta-Alfredo mixture.
Step 15 –Bake the ziti until the cheese has melted and just begins to turn golden, about 15-20 minutes.
Step 16 –Serve the baked ziti immediately with the remaining parmesan cheese and the parsley.
