Easy Creamy Chicken Broccoli Ziti with Jarred Alfredo Sauce
Easy Creamy Chicken Broccoli Ziti with Jarred Alfredo Sauce is a classic dish made with plenty of shortcut options for an easy weeknight meal. With only 8 ingredients and 45 minutes from start to finish, you will have a phenomenal dinner.
Trust me when I tell you, this is the best and easiest chicken broccoli alfredo recipe that exists. This is a best friend for weeknights when you need to get those kiddos fed quickly. This is always one of my most requested dishes for different family get togethers. My chicken broccoli alfredo is a rare Dylan approved favorite so hopefully the picky child in your life will find it to their liking also.
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo is one of those dinners that a lot of people seem to be intimidated by. Everyone loves ordering it at their favorite restaurants as a special treat. But there is nothing to be intimidated by at all. This recipe comes together so easily thanks to a great jarred alfredo sauce. You’ll want to make this dinner again and again. This recipe really is so simple and you will be so pleased with the result. It will feel like you had restaurant quality pasta come right out of your own home kitchen.
I have been making this chicken broccoli alfredo for over 10 years. I, myself go the cheat route and opt for jarred alfredo sauce. Anthony makes the most amazing homemade alfredo sauce that I refer to as Alfredo Al Tonio. This is a recipe I will definitely be posting in the near future. It’s a fantastic one because it’s very quick and simple.
Also, due to my nephew Logan’s previous egg allergies, I know that it seems all jarred alfredo sauces that I’ve seen available at my local grocery store contain egg. He wasn’t able to partake in this baked pasta dish until about a year ago when he got the egg-okay from the doctor. However, Alfredo Al Tonio does not contain egg so that would be an excellent egg-free alfredo sauce option.
On some occasions when dinner needs to be delivered before another baby or toddler meltdown can occur, I will even chop up some Perdue chicken shortcuts instead of making my own chicken. If going this direction, I suggest the grilled or roasted chicken flavors for this one.
This cuts out about 12 minutes of the process so it’s definitely a time saver to consider when you’re searching for your weeknight dinner Hail Mary. And when time is a factor, you’ll want to make my Quick and Easy 5-Minute 5-Ingredient Garlic Bread. Or pick up a loaf of Parisian bread and serve it with my Restaurant-Style Olive Oil Bread Dip.
Can I make this dinner ahead of time?
Yes, you most certainly can. On many occasions, I have put together the cooked chicken, ziti, alfredo and parmesan cheese topping for later. Once prepped, I would just cover tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate until dinner time.
Try to take the baking dish out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to baking. This will also allow you to get the oven preheated. Bake for roughly 25 minutes instead of 15 minutes or until heated through. Then, broil for about 4 minutes as usual.
What kind of jarred alfredo sauce should I buy?
Thankfully, there are so many wonderful prepared alfredo sauce options. Random fact: during the 2020 pandemic, for whatever reason, I could not find toilet paper or jarred alfredo sauce to save my life. I had a difficult time understanding the craze with either but hey, to each his own. End rant.
So I gravitate towards Bertolli, Classico, Ragu or Prego. They’re all on the more inexpensive side. Sometimes I get wild and I’ll buy the roasted garlic flavored alfredo sauce. You buy whatever flavors are going to blow your hair back at dinner time.
What kind of cheese should I use for the topping of the Easy Creamy Chicken Broccoli Ziti with Jarred Alfredo Sauce?
I always use the bagged shredded parmesan cheese that I find in the dairy aisle. I like the way this cheese bakes and the crust that it creates. The cheese itself is on the drier side due to the added anti-caking agents that are added to these bagged cheeses. Containers of grated parmesan cheese also work beautifully for this recipe.
I feel like the herbs that are added on the top of this cheese are very important to the overall flavor of the parmesan cheese topping. Make sure you don’t leave out the salt, black pepper and dried oregano that go over the top before baking.
Substitutions
Chicken: If chicken isn’t on the menu for dinner, you can absolutely substitute with beef, pork, shrimp or an impossible meat.
Broccoli: In a situation where you are without broccoli or not really feeling broccoli for dinner? No problem! Alfredo sauce is so versatile and decadent and delicious that any veggie that you serve it with will be wonderful. Try one of the options below:
-Spinach
-Zucchini
-Roasted red peppers
-Bell pepper
-Onion
-Mushroom
-Diced tomatoes
-Black olives
-Squash
-Asparagus
Instructions
1. Heat a pan sprayed skillet on medium heat. Lightly coat the pan with olive oil and add chicken tenderloins, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Cook for about 6 minutes per side until cooked through.
2. Preheat oven to 350°. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare pasta according to package instructions. Chop the broccoli and add it to the boiling pot of pasta for the last two minutes that it cooks. Slice the chicken tenderloins. Add to a pan sprayed baking dish. Add the drained pasta and the jars of alfredo sauce. Mix together well.
3. For the topping, add the shredded parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper and oregano. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven to the broiler setting and bake for an additional 4 minutes. The broiling will brown the parmesan cheese topping. Make sure to keep an eye on the oven when broiling as oven settings vary. Serve and enjoy!
This is by far one of my favorite weeknight warrior meals and I hope it becomes a staple in your home’s rotation as well. What are we serving on the side of this chicken broccoli ziti alfredo? Let me know in the comments below!
Easy Creamy Chicken Broccoli Ziti with Jarred Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 Pound chicken tenderloins
- 1 and ½ Teaspoon salt
- ½ and 1 Teaspoon black pepper
- 24 Ounces ziti
- 2 Heads broccoli
- 32 Ounces jarred alfredo sauce
- 6 Ounces shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 Teaspoon oregano
Instructions
- Heat a pan sprayed skillet on medium heat. Lightly coat the pan with olive oil and add chicken tenderloins, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Cook for about 6 minutes per side until cooked through.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare pasta according to package instructions. Chop the broccoli and add it to the boiling pot of pasta for the last two minutes that it cooks. Slice the chicken tenderloins. Add to a pan sprayed baking dish. Add the drained pasta and the jars of alfredo sauce. Mix together well.
- For the topping, add the shredded parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper and oregano. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven to the broiler setting and bake for an additional 4 minutes. The broiling will brown the parmesan cheese topping. Serve and enjoy!
