Chicken Bacon Fettuccine Alfredo Casserole

This easy chicken fettuccine casserole recipe combines chicken, crispy bacon, fettuccine and homemade alfredo sauce baked with a crunchy parmesan-panko topping. Ready in about an hour.

Six Reasons This Casserole Gets Requested Again

• It’s got all of the flavor of fettuccine alfredo with none of the fuss. I never would have guessed I’d be the one making alfredo sauce, let alone enjoying it more than the jarred stuff. It comes together in 15 minutes in a single pan.
• Bacon. Who doesn’t love bacon?! Half goes into the casserole and half goes on top so it stays a little crunchy.
• It’s a complete, balanced meal in a casserole dish. Protein from the chicken and bacon, carbs from the fettuccine, veggies in the cream of mushroom soup… everything’s got its place.
• Crunchy panko topping. Parmesan, panko and melted butter mixed up, spread on top and then baked until everything’s bubbling and the top is golden and crisp. It’s fantastic.
• It’s make-ahead friendly. Prep the whole thing up the night before and stick it in the fridge. In the morning, throw the panko topping on and pop it in the oven when you get home. Dinner’s all but done. Baking it straight out of the fridge just takes a few extra minutes in the oven.
• It’s a weeknight friendly recipe that tastes like you spent hours making it. It’s one of those recipes that reminds me of why I love casseroles so much, as practicality and taste come together.

The Sauce Details That Determine Everything

If you’ve never made alfredo sauce and thought you needed a restaurant kitchen to do it, here’s your chance. And it’s so easy.

The base of this sauce is condensed cream of mushroom soup. It gives the sauce some savory notes and body and it’s what allows us to take the easy way out and skip making a roux since the soup is already thickened.

Adding the cream cheese at room temp means it’ll melt into the sauce slowly so it’s less likely to break. It also contributes to making this alfredo sauce even creamier than store-bought.

Be sure to pull your fettuccine out of the water about 1-2 minutes early since it’ll continue cooking in the sauce. It should be al dente since it’s going to be in the oven for a bit.

Make sure all of your ingredients are measured and ready to go, including shredded and cooked chicken. I like to use a rotisserie chicken since one whole bird is about 3 cups shredded, more or less, depending on the size of the bird.

It saves time and adds tons of flavor. The sauce comes together pretty quickly so you’ll want your chicken already shredded and measured before you get started.

If you’ve softened the cream cheese as directed, you’re golden. However, if you forgot, cube the cream cheese and add it into the sauce.

Leave it in the pan for a few minutes before stirring to help it soften faster. Cold cream cheese is difficult to melt into a warm liquid and you’ll be left with chunks and a somewhat grainy texture.

Soften the cheese for 30-45 minutes at room temp for silky-smooth results.

This pasta dish is hearty and rich, with butter, cream, cream cheese, bacon, and two kinds of cheese, so serve alongside a crisp, light salad. A sharp vinaigrette will balance the dish nicely.

Pairing this already-creamy pasta dish with a creamy Caesar? Now we’re taking it overboard.

Also, the sauce will seem thicker than you’d like when you add it to the pasta, but trust me, it will thin out in the oven. When reheating any leftovers in the microwave, add a splash of milk or cream to loosen it back up.

The Ingredient List and Why the Cream Cheese Changes Everything

• Cream of mushroom soup (1 can, condensed)

Do not dilute the can of condensed cream of mushroom soup, just add it straight into the pot. Condensed soups are great for a shortcut when making casseroles or soups, as they give you body and flavor immediately.

• Cream cheese (8 oz., softened)

Yes it’s a whole block of cream cheese and yes it seems excessive. But it takes this sauce from creamy to SILKY.

Make sure to follow directions for allowing the cheese to come to room temp (30 to 45 minutes) because it makes a world of a difference. It will soften up and make incorporating into the sauce so much easier.

Add to pan over medium-low heat. Keep stirring, it will take a couple of minutes to melt and incorporate.

If you rush this part you’ll be left with a couple of white streaks of cheese and not that perfectly glossy, smooth, luscious sauce!

1 cup whipping cream – In addition to adding richness, the whipping cream thins out the sauce to the right consistency. I’ve seen some recipes using half-and-half in lieu of whipping cream, but I’ve found the results are much better with whipping cream.

The higher fat content ensures the sauce doesn’t separate while baking. “Worth it.”

1/2 cup butter, softened, divided (must be REAL butter. You WILL taste the difference if you use margarine) – The butter will be carrying the garlic in the sauce so make sure you use REAL butter for best flavor.

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (you can substitute 1-2 fresh cloves of garlic, minced, for the garlic powder but remember fresh garlic has a stronger taste than garlic powder, which has a nice, mellow garlic flavor. Also, if you use fresh garlic add it when you add the cream and butter and allow it to cook for a few minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients so it wilts and mellows out in the sauce)

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella – Mozzarella is the melty cheese in this Alfredo sauce. This is the cheese that stretches and melts and keeps all of the ingredients together as the casserole cooks.

3 cups cooked and shredded chicken – Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken to save time and add extra flavor. Or, poach chicken breasts in boiling, salted water for 15-20 minutes.

Do not use canned chicken, however. It’s far too soft, and will weigh down your casserole.

Mushy is tough to fix.

1/2 pound bacon – The bacon needs to be cooked until crispy; if it’s undercooked it won’t become crispy in the oven. Use 1/2 of the bacon in the filling and save the other 1/2 for later.

8 ounces fettuccine, cooked al dente, drained

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese + 2 Tablespoons (for topping) – Use freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. I know it looks like a pain to take the time to grate it by hand, but pre-grated Parmesan has additives to prevent it from clumping in the bag and those additives keep it from melting nicely into your sauce, giving it a grainy feel.

Believe me, it’s not as bad as you think… honestly, it only takes 60 seconds with a box grater. “Worth it.”

4 ounces sliced mushrooms (canned are fine), drained (optional) – Mushrooms are a nice addition to this recipe because their subtle, earthy flavor really complements the sauce and bacon but they are by no means required.

How to Make Chicken Bacon Fettuccine Alfredo Casserole

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease 9×13 inch baking dish and set aside.

Step 1: Cook the Bacon and Pasta

• Cook fettuccine in a large pot of salted boiling water on high heat according to directions on pasta package minus 1-2 minutes. Undercooking pasta will help the fettuccine maintain its texture and not get too soft when you take a bite and have some give in it. Drain fettuccine and toss with a little olive oil so they don’t stick together. Set aside.
• In a large pan, cook bacon on medium-high heat until crispy. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels. Once bacon is cooled, chop or crumble bacon into small pieces. Set aside.

Step 2: Make the Alfredo Sauce

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the cream of mushroom soup, cream cheese (should be cubed and softened before adding to pan), drained mushrooms, whipping cream, butter, and garlic powder. Stir occasionally and heat through until cream cheese has melted and combined with other ingredients and the sauce has a glossy appearance. Sauce is done when it is able to coat the back of a spoon and not have any streaks when you dip the spoon out of the mixture. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, add panko, melted butter, and parmesan cheese. Mix together to combine. Set aside. Do not substitute regular breadcrumbs for panko. Panko will stay crunchy and give a golden brown color to casserole and will give it that perfect crust. Regular breadcrumbs will get soggy when added to casserole and won’t give it that finished product.

Step 3: Combine the Filling

• Keep the pot of sauce on the burner on low. Add the parmesan and mozzarella and stir to melt. Add shredded chicken and fettuccine and stir until coated. Add half of the cooked bacon pieces and stir until combined. At this point the sauce should be creamy and thick. Taste, adding more salt or garlic powder as necessary.

Step 4: Assemble the Casserole

• Add chicken and fettuccine filling to baking dish and spread to make sure everything is evenly distributed. Mix breadcrumbs, butter and parmesan (2 tbsp) with your fingers until butter is evenly distributed throughout the bread crumbs. Scatter remaining cooked bacon pieces over casserole and add panko topping, making sure to cover the entire casserole.

Step 5: Bake and Rest

• Bake for a total of 30-35 minutes. After 25 minutes check to make sure the edges of the casserole are bubbly, this means everything has come up to temp. The top should be a nice, even, golden brown. If not, bake another 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow casserole to rest 5 minutes before serving.

Five Things Worth Getting Right Before You Bake

If there’s one thing this casserole is counting on, it’s you. While this casserole isn’t difficult to make, there are some areas where you need to make sure you’re getting things right, especially before everything goes in the baking dish.

Here are five areas where you’ll want to give it your A-game before tossing this dish in the oven:

I know, it’s difficult when diners are staring at you like “can we eat now,” but allow the casserole 5 minutes after coming out of the oven to rest before scooping. This way your casserole will settle a bit and you won’t have the sauce pool out everywhere when you grab a slice.

Make sure you get this right, including any necessary salt or garlic powder. It’s a lot easier to do this now that it’s all in one pot.

Once you mix it together and add it to the baking dish it’ll be harder to change things. Keep in mind bacon, parmesan and cream of mushroom soup can be quite salty too.

You might not even need more salt.

Stirring long strands of fettuccine with a pair of tongs is easier because you can lift and fold rather than pack everything together.

If the panko is getting nicely browned but the edges of the casserole aren’t yet bubbling, cover loosely with foil for the remainder of the cooking. All ovens bake differently.

Use freshly grated parm for best results. It will taste much better and melt better than the pre-grated kind, which can result in a slightly gritty sauce.

Five Ways to Change This Up

• Add broccoli: Add 2 cups broccoli florets, steamed, drained, and patted dry. Broccoli adds color and body and is perfect for soaking up the alfredo sauce.
• Spice things up: Add a dash of crushed red pepper to the sauce as it’s coming together, or finish it off with a few dashes of hot sauce. Not too spicy, just enough to perk up your guests.
• Use a short pasta: Rigatoni, rotini, or any other short to medium shaped pasta would be a great alternative to the fettuccine here. Honestly, I think they might even work better because they capture the alfredo sauce nicely, and are easier to scoop into servings. Use your imagination.
• Make it cheesy: Add 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella on top of the panko crust just before you pop the casserole in the oven. You’ll have a delicious, melty layer of mozz right under the crunchy, herby crust.
• Change up the protein: Shrimp would also be delicious here. Swap out the chicken for cooked shrimp and add them in at the end when you take the pan off the heat so they don’t get overcooked. Or you can make a vegetarian version with double the mushrooms and a handful of fresh cooked spinach!

How to Prep This Ahead and Three Ways to Use the Leftovers

To make ahead, follow the recipe through the step, combining the pasta and chicken with the alfredo sauce. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

When ready to serve, sprinkle with reserved panko mixture and bake. Note: Adding cold topping to cold casserole will add an additional 5-10 minutes to the cooking time.

How long will casserole last in refrigerator?

This alfredo casserole will keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Keep covered.

Sauce will be a little thicker after refrigeration so loosen with additional cream/milk when ready to serve. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or wrap in foil and reheat in a 325°F oven.

Can I freeze alfredo casserole?

This casserole freezes well unbaked. Assemble in casserole dish without panko topping and freeze up to 2 months, tightly covered with plastic wrap and foil.

When ready to prepare, remove from freezer, leave covered and thaw in refrigerator overnight. When ready to bake, add remaining ingredients (topping) and continue with directions.

Pasta will not have same texture as fresh, as it will be a little softer.

Can I make other dishes with leftovers?

Get creative. Scoop casserole into large pasta shells, top with shredded mozzarella cheese and bake at 375° until bubbly and warmed through.

Try a white pizza by spooning leftovers over naan or other favorite flatbread, top with shredded mozzarella cheese and broil 3-4 minutes until bubbly, offering lots of chicken and bacon to go with pizza. Spoon some into a pot, add chicken broth to create a soup.

Frozen peas make a great addition, bacon is never a bad idea.

Chicken Bacon Fettuccine Alfredo FAQ

Can I use jarred alfredo sauce instead of making it from scratch?

Yes, however, jarred alfredo sauce thins out a lot in baking and doesn’t have same rich texture of homemade alfredo sauce. However, add a full block of cream cheese to jarred sauce before baking.

Make sure cream cheese is as softened as possible, which is almost to the point of being melted. Mix well into jarred alfredo sauce.

This addition of cream cheese helps the jarred alfredo sauce perform closer to that of the homemade version.

Why does my sauce look grainy?

Adding cheese over high heat can cause a grainy sauce. When using cream cheese, whether in sauce or as an addition to jarred alfredo sauce, make sure cheese is as softened as possible, almost to the point of melting.

Add to sauce and mix well. This should prevent any graininess.

Why is my sauce not smooth?

Make sure the cream cheese is room temperature, heat is not higher than medium, and keep stirring until you can’t make it any smoother. Also, I highly recommend freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Pre-shredded shaker parmesan has a gritty texture due to the addition of a substance that keeps the cheese from caking together and it can alter the texture of the sauce.

Can I leave out the mushrooms?

It will not alter the consistency of the casserole and you can leave them out if you want.

What if I don’t have cream of mushroom soup?

Cream of chicken works fine. It will alter the taste ever so slightly but it won’t affect the consistency of the casserole.

Pacific foods makes a certified gluten free mushroom soup as well.

Can I use canned or rotisserie chicken?

Rotisserie chicken would work great! It’s a great shortcut to use rotisserie chicken since it’s already cooked and seasoned.

Depending on the size of the rotisserie chicken you’ll most likely get around 3-4 cups of shredded chicken from one. Plus it saves you from having to wash another pot!

Canned chicken is not ideal. It is very soft/mushy and will alter the texture of this dish.

If you have some time you could poach some chicken breasts to use as well. Simply drop the chicken breasts in a pot of boiling, lightly salted water or chicken stock for additional flavor and cook for about 15-20 minutes.

Remove and allow to cool before shredding the chicken.

How do I make sure the top of the casserole doesn’t burn?

Everyone’s oven is different. Some ovens tend to be a bit on the hotter side which can cause the panko to brown quicker than usual.

If this happens loosely tent the casserole with foil and continue to bake until bubbling at the edges. The key is to watch it brown to a deep golden brown, not a light tan color, and bubble at the edges.

This will indicate the casserole is heated all the way through. Sometimes it’s easier to look for certain characteristics instead of setting a timer.

How can I make this recipe gluten free?

Substitute the pasta for gf fettuccine, or whatever pasta happens to be in your pantry that’s gf, and gf panko breadcrumbs. You can find gf panko in the aisle where the gluten free products usually live.

Gluten free cream of mushroom (mentioned above) can be used as well. The other ingredients are naturally gf!

Other Casseroles That Clear the Pan

• Crockpot Ravioli Casserole: Just four ingredients come together for this flavorful casserole. It’s made in your slow cooker so you don’t even have to turn on the oven!
• Taco Crescent Bake: All of your favorite flavors from tacos, including seasoned meat, melted cheese and a crunchy chip topping all come together in one casserole dish with crescent rolls.
• Buffalo Chicken Crock Pot Sandwiches: This recipe calls for just three ingredients that get tossed in your Crock Pot to create the ultimate creamy and spicy buffalo chicken to scoop onto sandwich buns.
• Biscuits and Gravy Casserole: A perfect option for breakfast-for-dinner this casserole comes together quick and is sure to please the whole crowd.