Stir sliced chicken breast and these 4 ingredients with broccoli for a baked meal I keep craving

This baked chicken and broccoli Alfredo is my stripped-down, weeknight take on a classic Italian-American comfort dish. Traditional fettuccine Alfredo started in early 20th-century Rome as a simple emulsion of butter and Parmesan, but in the U.S. it evolved into the creamy, saucey pasta we know today—often enriched with cream, garlic, and sometimes chicken or vegetables. Here, we skip the stovetop juggling and let the oven do the work, using jarred Alfredo sauce as a shortcut and keeping the ingredient list to just five items. It’s the kind of recipe you reach for when you want something cozy, creamy, and satisfying without a sink full of pans or a long ingredient list.

This chicken and broccoli Alfredo bake is rich and comforting, so I like to balance it with something fresh and bright. A simple green salad with a lemony vinaigrette cuts through the creaminess nicely—think mixed greens, thinly sliced red onion, and maybe a few cherry tomatoes. Warm bread is also a natural partner; a crusty baguette or garlic toast is perfect for swiping up any extra sauce. If you’d like to stretch the meal a bit further, serve this alongside a bowl of lightly seasoned rice or buttered noodles to soak up the Alfredo, or add a side of roasted vegetables—carrots or Brussels sprouts work especially well—for extra color and texture on the plate.

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced into strips
3 cups fresh broccoli florets (or frozen, thawed and well-drained)
1 (15–16 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or Italian blend)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste (optional but recommended, does not count toward 5 core ingredients)
Olive oil or nonstick spray, for greasing the baking dish

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with olive oil or nonstick spray.

Prep the chicken: Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then slice them into thin strips—about 1/2 inch thick. Thinner slices cook more quickly and stay tender in the oven.

Season the chicken: Place the sliced chicken in a bowl and sprinkle with the kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper if using. Toss to coat evenly.

Layer the broccoli: Spread the broccoli florets in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. If any florets are very large, cut them into bite-sized pieces so they cook at the same rate as the chicken.

Add the chicken: Arrange the seasoned chicken strips over the broccoli in a fairly even layer. It’s fine if they overlap a bit; just avoid stacking them too thickly in one spot.

Add the Alfredo sauce: Pour the jarred Alfredo sauce evenly over the chicken and broccoli. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to gently nudge the sauce into the nooks and crannies so everything is lightly coated.

Top with cheese: Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the top. This will melt into a gooey, golden layer as it bakes.

Bake: Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 10–15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C) and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.

Optional browning: For a more golden, slightly crisp top, switch the oven to broil for 2–3 minutes at the end of baking. Watch closely so the cheese doesn’t burn.

Rest and serve: Let the bake rest for about 5 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to thicken slightly and makes it easier to scoop out neat portions. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt or pepper if needed, then serve hot.

Because this recipe leans on jarred Alfredo and just a handful of ingredients, it’s easy to customize. For extra flavor, you can whisk a minced garlic clove and a pinch of dried Italian seasoning into the Alfredo sauce before pouring it over the chicken. If you’d like a bit more texture, sprinkle 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan and a handful of seasoned breadcrumbs over the mozzarella before baking for a lightly crisp, gratin-style top. To make it more substantial, add 2 cups of cooked short pasta (penne, rotini, or shells) to the dish, tossing it with the broccoli and sauce before layering in the chicken—just be sure everything is well coated so the pasta doesn’t dry out. You can also swap in boneless, skinless chicken thighs for a slightly richer, more forgiving cut that stays very tender in the oven. For a lighter version, use a lighter Alfredo-style sauce from the jar and increase the broccoli to 4 cups, or add in other quick-cooking vegetables such as sliced mushrooms or baby spinach (tuck the spinach under the chicken so it doesn’t dry out). Finally, if you enjoy a bit of heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes over the top before baking adds a gentle warmth that plays nicely with the creamy sauce.