A casserole dish full of comforting creaminess, cheesiness, and garlicky flavor.
If a recipe’s title includes the phrase “million dollar,” you may rest assured that the dish will be rich, luscious, and as smooth as can be, but not necessarily pricey. What you get is our Million Dollar Chicken Alfredo Bake, a simple pasta casserole that is creamier (and cheesier) than any Alfredo you’ve ever tasted but yet bursting with the garlicky, nutty flavor of traditional Alfredo sauce. What a delicious display of cheese!
INGREDIENTS
1 pound of cavatappi
5 tablespoons butter, unsalted
The equivalent of five to seven minced garlic cloves
One-third of a cup of regular flour
Two cups of chicken stock, three of milk
1 tsp. of dried onion flakes
12 tsp. of dried parsley
1.5 fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper, half a teaspoon
Pepper flakes, red, about a quarter teaspoon
Chicken, shredded, cooked to yield 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
Six-to-eight Thin Slices Of Provolone Cheese
Sour cream, one cup
Grated Mozzarella Cheese, 1 Cup
Instructions:
Prepare a 9-by-13-inch baking dish by greasing it with butter or nonstick spray and placing it in a preheated 350°F oven. Putting aside.
Pasta should be cooked in a big pot of boiling salted water for 2 minutes less than the time recommended on the package. To halt the cooking process, drain and rinse with cold water.
Make the sauce while the pasta cooks:
Spread butter in a large skillet and heat it over medium. Cook the garlic for 30 seconds. After 2 minutes of whisking constantly, whisk in the flour.
Turn the heat down to low and add the half-and-half, chicken broth, onion powder, garlic powder, dried basil, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, whisking constantly.
Bring to a boil over medium heat while whisking continually. Simmer on medium heat until thickened, about 7-10 minutes, whisking occasionally.
Take off the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese until it’s melted. Add the cooked chicken and noodles to the sauce and stir to combine.
Place a layer of provolone cheese slices in the bottom of a baking dish and then pour in half of the spaghetti sauce. When you’re ready to serve, cover the cheese with sour cream and the remaining pasta sauce. Layer some mozzarella on top.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbling and golden brown. Keep warm for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!