Dairy-Free Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Bake (Gluten-Free) (2024)

This Dairy-Free Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Bake uses a cashew-based sauce and gluten-free penne pasta. A delicious gluten-free meal!

It's dinner time. You want something hearty, healthy, and satisfying.

Combining chicken and broccoli, pasta, and a homemade paleo Alfredo sauce, you've got a dairy-free pasta bake to look forward to.

This is a weeknight meal the whole family will love.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Healthy pasta bake
• Dairy-free creamy sauce
• Simple ingredients

Ingredients and substitutions

Here are a few quick notes about the key ingredients in this recipe. You can see a complete ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card below.

Gluten-free penne pasta - Use your favorite gluten-free pasta brand.

Onion - Yellow onion cooks up nicely with the garlic.

Chicken breast or thighs - Choose the type you prefer or have on hand.

Frozen broccoli - Using frozen makes this a quicker weeknight dinner. Fresh raw broccoli can be substituted.

Alfredo sauce- The dairy-free Alfredo cashew cream sauce recipe can be made a day ahead of time if desired to make meal prep a little easier.

The white sauce uses cashews, nutritional yeast, dairy-free milk, and spices for a vegan cheese flavor.

Olive oil - Extra virgin olive oil can be substituted with avocado oil.

Garlic - Minced garlic and onion help flavor the chicken.

Red pepper flakes - For just the slightest hint of spice!

Tip:Don't have frozen broccoli? Use thisboiled broccolimethod instead!

Step-by-step instructions

Before you start:Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 1:Prepare your dairy-free Alfredo sauce and set aside.

Cook the penne pasta to al dente according to package instructions, then drain and reserve a ¼ cup of pasta water. Set pasta water aside.

Step 2:While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil on medium heat in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally until they start to soften.

Then add garlic, and stir to combine.

Step 3:Add the chicken and brown the small chunks. Then add the broccoli, salt, pepper, and chili flakes.

Cook until broccoli is warm and the chicken is fully cooked.

Step 4:Stir the reserved pasta water into the Alfredo sauce. Add the pasta followed by the Alfredo sauce to the saucepan. Stir to coat.

Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Loosely tent with foil and bake for 10-13 minutes. The top of the pasta bake will be golden brown and creamy underneath.

Have leftoverroasted chickenor rotisserie chicken? Skip the browning step and add the chicken with the broccoli.

Storage

This pasta bake is best the day it is made. If you have any leftovers of this dairy-free chicken pasta casserole, cover it with foil and store it in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Reheat the leftover pasta bake in the microwave or in the oven.

Serving suggestions

This baked pasta is hearty all on its own. But here are some ideas for side dish to serve with it:

• Side salad
• Extra veggies
• Garlic bread
• Soup

FAQs

Want more chicken andbroccoli for dinner?

Want more chicken dinner inspiration?

Thisdairy-free chicken and rice casserolemight be right up your alley. And thisinstant pot broccolimakes getting in your veggies a breeze.

Thisdairy-free chicken tikka masalais delicious healthy comfort food. Thismiso chickenlooks like a total weeknight win. And thisketo teriyaki chickenwould be a low-carb crowd-pleaser!

Aground chicken stir fry with rice noodlesis an easy dinner too!

In the mood for a meatless meal?

Check out thisplant-based comfort foodrecipe forblack bean meatballsor the links below!

More gluten-free dinner recipes

Sloppy Joe Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Curried Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup

Vegan Gluten-Free Mushroom Étouffée

Curried Coconut Quinoa Bake

Creamy Vegan Sweet Potato Soup

Love this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating on the recipe card below and let me know what you think in the comments!

📖 Recipe