Cheesy Chicken Rigatoni
Cheesy chicken rigatoni is a baked pasta dish with a rich, velvety Alfredo-style cheese sauce, tender chicken, and thick rigatoni noodles. It is creamy, melty, and satisfying enough for a weeknight dinner or a potluck.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Why This Cheesy Chicken Rigatoni Recipe Works
This recipe skips jarred sauce and builds from scratch with a roux base, cream cheese, and three cheeses that create a thick, stable, deeply savory sauce. The ridged rigatoni grips every bit of it.
The chicken is browned first to build flavor, then the sauce is built in the same pan. Cream cheese added off the heat keeps the sauce smooth, mozzarella and cheddar add melt and sharpness, and baking it uncovered gives you that golden, bubbly top.
Also try my Marry Me Chicken Orzo, Artichoke Chicken Pasta, or Lemon Chicken Orzo Pasta.
Ingredients for Easy Chicken Rigatoni
- Rigatoni pasta – The wide, ridged tubes are the right call here. Those ridges grab onto the thick cheese sauce so every bite is coated, not just the outside of the noodle.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – Cut into bite-sized pieces so they cook quickly and distribute evenly through the pasta. Chicken thighs also work great if you want a little more richness.
- Olive oil – For browning the chicken. A neutral oil like avocado oil works too.
- Salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning – These season the chicken directly before it hits the pan, which builds flavor from the start rather than relying on the sauce to carry everything.
- Butter – The fat base for the roux that thickens the sauce. Unsalted is best so you can control the salt level.
- Yellow onion – Finely diced so it cooks down and blends into the sauce. White onion or shallots also work.
- Garlic – Fresh minced garlic gives the sauce a sharper, cleaner flavor than garlic powder alone.
- All-purpose flour – This is what turns the butter into a roux and keeps the sauce thick and stable in the oven.
- Milk and heavy cream – The combination of both gives you a sauce that is creamy without being too dense. Half-and-half can substitute for both if needed.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese – Mozzarella gives you that stretchy, gooey melt on top. Shred it yourself from a block for the cleanest melt.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – Cheddar adds sharpness and depth that mozzarella alone does not have. Sharp or medium cheddar both work well.
- Grated Parmesan cheese – Parmesan brings a salty, nutty backbone to the sauce. Freshly grated melts smoother than the pre-packaged kind.
- Cream cheese – Softened cream cheese is the secret to a thick, velvety sauce that does not separate in the oven. Do not skip this one.
- Fresh spinach (optional) – Stirs in at the end and wilts into the sauce. It adds color and a mild flavor without changing the dish. Frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, can substitute.
- Fresh parsley – A quick garnish before serving that brightens up the finished dish.
Tips for Making Baked Rigatoni with Chicken
Cook the pasta just to al dente. Pull the rigatoni out of the water while it still has a little bite. It finishes cooking in the oven, and if you start with fully cooked pasta, it will turn mushy by the time the dish comes out.
Soften the cream cheese before adding it. Cold cream cheese does not melt evenly and can leave lumps in the sauce. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before you start cooking, or microwave it in short intervals until it is soft.
Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has a starch coating to prevent clumping in the bag, but that same coating keeps it from melting as smoothly into a sauce. Block cheese shredded fresh melts into a silkier, creamier result every time.
Brown the chicken first. Do not just cook the chicken through, actually let it get some color on the outside. That golden crust adds flavor that carries through the whole dish, and it keeps the chicken from turning rubbery in the baked pasta.
Do not cover the baking dish. Baking this chicken and rigatoni uncovered lets the top bubble and the cheese on top develop those golden, slightly crispy spots. Covering it traps the steam and turns the top layer soft instead of lightly browned.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Creamy Chicken Rigatoni
Adding the cheeses over high heat. Once you stir in the cream cheese, mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan, keep the heat on medium-low. High heat causes the proteins in the cheese to seize up, which makes the sauce grainy and greasy instead of smooth.
Skipping the roux. Some recipes just pour cream into the pan and call it a sauce, but without the butter and flour base, the sauce will be too thin and will separate in the oven. The roux is what gives this chicken and rigatoni its thick, clingy texture.
Overfilling the baking dish. Pack the rigatoni in too tight and the center will not heat through evenly. Make sure everything fits in a 9×13 baking dish with the sauce spread to the edges, not mounded in the middle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this cheesy chicken rigatoni ahead of time?
Yes. You can assemble the full dish up to a day ahead, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it. When you are ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes first, then bake as directed. Cold from the fridge, it may need an extra 5 to 10 minutes in the oven.
What pasta can I use instead of rigatoni?
Any short, ridged pasta works well here. Penne, ziti, or cavatappi are all solid options because they have grooves or tubes that trap the sauce. Avoid smooth pasta shapes like elbow macaroni, which do not hold onto the thick cheese sauce as well.
Can I use rotisserie chicken instead of raw chicken breasts?
Absolutely. Shredded rotisserie chicken cuts the prep time down significantly. Skip the browning step, build your sauce in the skillet with the butter, onion, garlic, and roux, then add the shredded chicken directly into the sauce before combining with the pasta.
Is this the same as Chicken Alfredo pasta?
It is similar in that both use a cream-based sauce, but this baked rigatoni with chicken uses a roux-based sauce with multiple cheeses, which makes it thicker and more stable for baking. Classic Alfredo is a stovetop sauce made from butter, cream, and Parmesan that does not hold up as well in the oven.
How to Store and Reheat
Storage: Let the pasta cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The sauce may thicken as it sits, which is normal.
Freezing: This baked rigatoni with chicken freezes well. Portion it into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: For the best texture, reheat in a 350°F oven covered with foil for 15 to 20 minutes, or until warmed through. Individual portions reheat well in the microwave in 60-second intervals. Add a small splash of milk or cream before reheating to loosen the sauce back up.
Cheesy Chicken Rigatoni
Equipment
- large pot
- colander
- large skillet
- 9×13 inch baking dish
- whisk
- box grater
Ingredients
- 12 ounces rigatoni pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 cups fresh spinach optional
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni according to package directions until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the milk and heavy cream until the mixture is smooth and no lumps remain.
- Add the cream cheese, Parmesan, 1 cup of mozzarella, and the cheddar. Stir over medium-low heat until everything is melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet. If using spinach, add it now and stir until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the drained rigatoni to the skillet and toss until evenly coated in the cheese sauce.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is bubbly and lightly golden. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Cook the rigatoni just to al dente since it will continue to cook in the oven.
- Soften the cream cheese before adding it to ensure a smooth sauce.
- Shred your own cheese from a block for the best melt.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Disclaimer:
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.