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! MORE+ LESS-

By Pillsbury Kitchens

Updated December 3, 2018

Make with

Progresso Broth

Ingredients

oz uncooked penne pasta (about 2 1/3 cups)

cup Progresso™ Panko Italian style crispy bread crumbs (from 8-oz box)

tablespoon olive oil

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

package (8 oz) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), cubed

3/4

cup grated Parmesan cheese

cups chopped cooked chicken

package (12.6 oz) frozen broccoli florets, thawed

1 1/2

cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 oz)

Steps

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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.

Expert Tips

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 Information

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories: 460
Calories from Fat: 190

% Daily Value

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;