Paprika Chicken Alfredo Bake
Enjoy this Paprika Chicken Alfredo Bake recipe for your next casual gathering, delicious served with a salad and hot crunchy bread! With ziti pasta, chicken, and a homemade alfredo sauce, this cheesy dish is a weeknight favorite.
I love a good cheesy pasta dish! This Paprika Chicken Pasta Bake is tossed in a luscious and creamy paprika sauce. Oh, so good! This isn’t my first time using smoked paprika, as you may have already tried my Paprika Chicken Thighs recipe, which has been shared over and over for years here on RE!
One reader said: Very tasty! I made 1/2 of this recipe in an 8×8 ovenproof dish and added some sliced red bell pepper to it. Very nice flavors and I will definitely make it again!
Paprika Chicken Alfredo Bake
Chicken Alfredo Bake is a combination of comfort (hello, Alfredo Pasta), and delicious paprika flavors, with your favorite pasta! We used ziti pasta for this recipe, but you can swap out the pasta for what you have in your pantry. I am a very strong believer in good quality pasta and my favorite brand is Delallo!
Read more: Paprika Chicken Alfredo Bake
Why I love this recipe
- It’s simple to put together and pop in the oven.
- This dish makes a great weeknight meal for company with a side salad and hot crunchy bread.
- Depending on the level of heat, you can use a variety of paprika flavors (smoked, spicy, or regular).
- Makes a great potluck dish.
Gather these ingredients
- Ziti pasta, I use DeLallo brand (or use your favorite pasta)
- Cooked chicken breasts
- Olive oil + garlic
- Flour
- Chicken broth
- Milk (I use low-fat)
- Parmesan cheese
- Salt + pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Green onions or fresh basil
How do you make Paprika Chicken Alfredo Bake
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions.
- Drain and place back into the the pot.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, stirring frequently, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the flour until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, milk, salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring gently, until the mixture thickens for another 3 minutes. Add 1 cup Parmesan cheese; mix well.
- Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss; add the chicken and mix well. Spread the pasta mixture in a prepared (greased) baking pan, and top with 1/2 cup more Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and just barely starts to turn golden.
- Garnish with green onions or chopped fresh basil; serve.
Tips and substitutions:
- Cook the pasta al dente, which means usually about 1 minute less than the package directions recommend. You do not want mushy pasta for this recipe!
- Buy a rotisserie bird, or bake chicken breasts.
- Swap out the pasta (ziti) for your favorite pasta.
- Optional to leave out the paprika. Make sure and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- You can serve it on stove top, or bake it (way more cheesier).
How do you serve an Alfredo Pasta Bake?
We love this recipe served hot out of the oven, with a Spinach Cobb Salad, and Potato Cheese Bread. It’s a fun recipe for a potluck, but also good enough for company! Don’t forget the Apple Crisp for dessert!
More pasta dishes you may want to try while you are here:
- Italian Sausage Bake
- Best Italian Pasta Bake
- Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup
- Spicy Thai Shrimp Pasta
Get the Recipe:
Paprika Chicken Alfredo Bake
Ingredients
- 16 ounces ziti pasta, I use DeLallo brand
- 2-3 cups cooked chicken breasts, thinly sliced or rotisserie (shredded or chopped)
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 Tbsp. flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups low-fat milk, I used 1%
- 1 ½ cups freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. smoked paprika
- Green onions or fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain and place back into the the pot.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, stirring frequently, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the flour until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, milk, salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Bring to a low boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring gently, until the mixture thickens for another 3 minutes. Add 1 cup Parmesan cheese; mix well.
- Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss; add the chicken and mix well. Spread the pasta mixture in a prepared (greased) baking pan, and top with ½ cup more Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and just barely starts to turn golden. Garnish with green onions or chopped fresh basil; serve.
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
Very tasty! I made 1/2 of this recipe in an 8×8 ovenproof dish and added some sliced red bell pepper to it. Very nice flavors and I will definitely make it again!