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Crowd-Pleasing Cottage Cheese Chicken Alfredo Bake

cottage cheese chicken alfredo bake - featured image
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A creamy, lighter Alfredo bake made with cottage cheese instead of heavy cream. Perfect for gatherings, this dish is quick, easy, and always a hit.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces (340g) penne pasta
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil
  • 1.5 pounds (680g) boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 teaspoon (5g) garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon (5g) onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5g) salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1g) black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
  • 2 cups (480g) full-fat cottage cheese
  • 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.5g) salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1g) black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon (0.5g) red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 cup (100g) shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup (25g) grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons (8g) fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
  2. Cook penne pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, about 1-2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
  3. Pat chicken breasts dry. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (165°F/74°C). Let rest 5 minutes, then slice into bite-sized pieces.
  4. In a blender, combine cottage cheese and milk. Blend until smooth, about 30-45 seconds.
  5. In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in blended cottage cheese mixture, add Parmesan, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Whisk and simmer 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
  6. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, sliced chicken, and Alfredo sauce. Toss to coat. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Top with mozzarella and remaining Parmesan.
  7. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes until bubbly and golden. Optionally broil 2 minutes for extra browning.
  8. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

Use full-fat cottage cheese for best texture. Blend until silky smooth. Let chicken rest before slicing. Cover with foil for first half of baking to keep moist. For extra browning, broil last 2 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: cottage cheese alfredo, chicken alfredo bake, healthy alfredo, easy pasta bake, crowd-pleasing casserole

Find it online: https://zestynora.com/crowd-pleasing-cottage-cheese-chicken-alfredo-bake-easy-and-best-recipe/