Description
Rich, creamy and delicious, you will never guess this came out of your freezer!
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 ounces penne rigata pasta
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 4 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
- 2 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 2–3 chicken breasts (cooked and diced)
- chopped parsley (for garnish (optional))
Instructions
- Step: Prepare pasta per package directions, to the al dente stage.
- Step: Melt butter in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat, stir in flour and whisk for 2-3 minutes.
- Step: Add garlic, cream, garlic salt, salt, pepper and 1 cup of the Parmesan cheese; stir to combine and melt cheese.
- Step: Simmer sauce for 8-10 minutes until thickened, stirring frequently, then remove from heat.
- Step: Stir in mozzarella and cream cheese until melted; add additional salt to taste if needed.
- Step: Drain pasta and return to pot; stir in the sauce and diced chicken.
- Step: Pour mixture into a 9×13 baking dish and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Step: To freeze, allow to cool completely, cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil, and label. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
- Step: Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes until the top is slightly brown and sauce is bubbly; garnish with parsley.
Notes
Grilled chicken is recommended for better flavor. For more garlic, increase minced garlic to 1 1/2 tablespoons and use 1 teaspoon garlic salt. Flour is used to prevent the sauce from separating during freezing; it may be omitted if serving immediately.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Freezer Meal Recipes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 956 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 1196 mg
- Fat: 68 g
- Saturated Fat: 41 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 239 mg
Keywords: Chicken Alfredo Bake, freezer meal, creamy pasta, Italian comfort food