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Lightened-Up Chicken-Alfredo Baked Penne

Lightened-Up Chicken-Alfredo Baked Penne
  • Prep 30 min
  • Total 1 hr 15 min
  • Ingredients 13
  • Servings 8
You love our famous Chicken-Alfredo Baked Penne, and now we’ve made an equally delicious casserole that is inspired by the original, but cuts the calories (45 percent per serving!) for those times you want a creamy, cozy casserole without all the guilt. A scratch Alfredo sauce made with Neufchâtel cheese, a punch of broccoli and chopped chicken help lighten up this dish without sacrificing any flavor. Plus, we added a panko bread crumb topping for extra crunch!
By Pillsbury Kitchens
Updated May 7, 2021
Make With
Make With
Pillsbury Bread

Ingredients

  • 8 oz uncooked penne pasta (about 2 1/3 cups)
  • 1 cup Progresso™ Panko Italian style crispy bread crumbs (from 8-oz box)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup Progresso™ chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
  • 1/2 cup half-and-half
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 package (8 oz) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), cubed
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
  • 1 package (12.6 oz) frozen broccoli florets, thawed
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 oz)

Steps

  • 1
    Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
  • 2
    Cook pasta as directed on box; drain. In small bowl, mix bread crumbs and olive oil; set aside.
  • 3
    Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat broth, half-and-half, garlic powder, salt and pepper over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes, or until mixture is hot and starting to bubble around edges. Add cream cheese; beat constantly with whisk 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from heat; add Parmesan cheese, beating until no lumps remain.
  • 4
    In large bowl, mix cooked pasta, chicken, thawed broccoli, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and the sauce mixture. Carefully stir until well mixed; transfer mixture into baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese; top with bread crumb mixture.
  • 5
    Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through and bubbling around edges. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

  • Make sure broccoli is completely thawed before mixing, so you can drain any excess liquid if necessary.
  • Neufchâtel cheese is sold next to regular cream cheese. It is made exclusively with milk, while regular cream cheese is made with both milk and cream.
  • This recipe uses a scratch Alfredo sauce, as opposed to jarred sauce. You can use jarred sauce in a pinch, but note the nutritional values will change.
  • If you have leftover rotisserie chicken on hand, that would work great in this recipe.
  • Round this meal out with a side salad or Pillsbury™ Crescent Rolls.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
460
Calories from Fat
190
Total Fat
21g
33%
Saturated Fat
10g
50%
Trans Fat
1/2g
Cholesterol
75mg
26%
Sodium
1170mg
49%
Potassium
290mg
8%
Total Carbohydrate
40g
13%
Dietary Fiber
2g
11%
Sugars
3g
Protein
28g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
20%
20%
Vitamin C
15%
15%
Calcium
35%
35%
Iron
10%
10%
Exchanges:
2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
2 1/2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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