Craving creamy comfort food without the dairy? This Dairy-Free Alfredo Casserole is packed with creamy flavor and perfect for busy nights. Made with tender chicken, a rich dairy-free alfredo sauce, and pops of sundried tomatoes, this gluten-free casserole is a protein-packed meal the whole family asks for.
"The alfredo sauce was creamy plus the tomatoes added a slightly sweet/citrusy flavor. This recipe is so easy to prepare and is perfect for my pasta cravings!" -Jay
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
- 👪Serves: 5
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 446 kcals and 23 grams of protein
- 📋Main Ingredients: Quinoa noodles, cooked chicken, broccoli, coconut milk alfredo sauce, and Sundried tomatoes.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free and gluten-free.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: A creamy, comforting chicken alfredo casserole that delivers all the cozy flavor without the dairy, making it perfect for an easy, feel-good weeknight dinner.
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Busy weeknights mean dinner either needs to be ready fast or prepped ahead and waiting in the fridge, there’s really no middle ground. Thankfully, this dbakedchicken alfredo casserole checks both boxes. You can assemble it ahead of time and simply bake when needed, making it perfect for hectic evenings. And if you need something even quicker, this healthy ground turkey pasta is another great option.
Made with a rich homemade dairy-free alfredo sauce, this chicken casserole delivers all the creamy comfort of classic pasta in a family-friendly, weeknight-ready meal.
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💭Why The Recipe Works
Creamy: Thanks to the coconut milk alfredo sauce and a dash of dairy-free cheese, this chicken casserole comes out creamier than ever.
Meal prep: This easy chicken alfredo bake reheats really well, making it a great recipe to meal prep for busy nights.
Kid-approved: Your kids won't even know it's dairy-free (or gluten-free for that matter!).
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Alfredo sauce: The base of this dairy-free chicken alfredo casserole is my coconut milk alfredo sauce. It's ultra-rich, creamy, and packed with classic flavor.
- Gluten-free noodles: I find that quinoa-based noodles work best and taste the most similar to traditional ones. They cook well but don’t become mush. Make sure to break up the spaghetti, though, so that they cook quickly.
- Cooked chicken: Cook once, eat twice is a cardinal rule. When you cook a Dutch oven roasted chicken, make two so that you have one for Sunday night dinner and the other to whip up something like this chicken casserole. Of course, rotisserie chicken works as well.
- Dairy-free shredded cheese: Not all dairy-free cheese melts nicely. I like to use Violife vegan cheese for the casserole, but if you have one you like, rock it.
- Bone broth: In a pinch, almond or cashew milk will work here, as you don’t need much. However, chicken broth gives it a better flavor.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
Protein: Chicken pairs best with a creamy alfredo sauce, but that doesn't mean something like shrimp or even ground turkey won't work.
Spice: If you're not making this for kids, adding a dash of red pepper flakes into the mix is tasty.
Extra rich: If you want an extra rich and creamy alfredo, whisk ¼ cup of dairy-free cream cheese into the warm chicken broth.
How To Make Non-Dairy Alfredo Casserole
Step 1: Whip up a batch of dairy-free alfredo sauce.
Step 2: Layer your casserole with broth, noodles, broccoli, chicken, sundried tomatoes, alfredo sauce, and finally the cheese.
Step 3: Cover and bake in the oven for one hour. Remove the cover and broil for 2 minutes or until the cheese turns a slight golden color.
Step 4: Let it sit for five minutes and enjoy!
Expert
If you’re using coconut milk alfredo sauce from the fridge, make sure to heat it up before pouring it onto the casserole. Otherwise, it won’t distribute evenly (it thickens in the fridge). You can heat it briefly in the microwave or over low heat on the stove, just take care not to burn it.
Chop the sundried tomatoes before you mix them in. Smaller pieces mean salty goodness in each bite.
Any pasta type will work, though we use regular spaghetti noodles the most. For gluten-free noodles, opt for a quinoa-based one so that they remain intact.
Know that how your cooked chicken is seasoned will affect the flavor of the dish. We've used slow cooker chicken teriyaki before in this dairy-free chicken alfredo, and it came out amazing.
Coconut milk is the base of the vegan alfredo sauce. If you don't have any on hand, you can use almond milk, but the sauce won't be as thick.
Powdered bone broth is the ultimate time-saving hack for days when you don't have homemade broth on hand.
Meal Prepping and Storing
There are two ways to meal prep this dairy-free alfredo casserole:
Option 1: Prep the entire casserole and then cook it the next day. To do this, follow the recipe exactly, but don't bake it. Store it uncooked and covered in the fridge. When you need it, let the dish sit on the counter for ten minutes before popping it into the oven.
Option 2: Fully cook the casserole, then let it sit and cool before placing it in the fridge. When you need to reheat it, add ⅓ cup of water or broth to the dish, re-cover it, and heat it at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes.
Non-Dairy Alfredo Casserole FAQs
Of course, all you need to do is use fettuccine noodles in place of spaghetti ones. You'll still want to break them up, though, so that they cook better.
Once cooked, it will last 2-3 days in the fridge. You'll want to add a bit of extra water or almond milk to it before heating so that it comes out with a creamy sauce and not dried out.
Yes, you can freeze chicken alfredo casserole. To do this, make the casserole but layer it in a freezer-safe, aluminum container. Do not bake it, but instead, cover the container and place it in the freezer for up to 1 month. When you need it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and add ⅓ cup of chicken broth to the dish before baking it until cooked through.
More Dairy & Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes
If you tried this Dairy-Free Chicken Alfredo Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Non-Dairy Alfredo Casserole (Gluten-Free)
Video
Equipment
- 1 8x8 Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Coconut milk alfredo sauce homemade
- 2.5 cups Quinoa rice spaghetti noodles uncooked
- 2 cups Cooked chicken chopped
- 3 cups Broccoli finely chopped
- ½ cup Sundried tomatoes in oil
- ¼ cup Dairy-free shredded mozzarella
- ¼ cup Bone broth
- ¼ cup Green onions optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In an 8x8 casserole dish, add the broth to the bottom.
- Break up the noodles if using spaghetti and layer them onto the bottom of the dish followed by the broccoli, cooked chicken, and sundried tomatoes.
- Warm the alfredo sauce if you need to.
- our it over top of the casserole followed by green onions (if using), and the shredded cheese.
- Cover the top with tinfoil and bake for 1 hour.
- Remove the tinfoil and put the oven on broil for 1-2 minutes watching closely.
- Remove from the oven, let sit for 5 minutes and serve
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Jay says
The alfredo sauce was creamy plus the tomatoes added a slightly sweet/citrusy flavor. This recipe is so easy to prepare and is perfect for my pasta cravings!
fitasamamabear says
I love the tomatoes too! Happy you enjoyed the meal.
Sam says
BLOWN AWAY! My husband praised me for this when I cooked it for dinner this weekend. Love how flavorful this is topped with the sun-dried tomatoes
fitasamamabear says
Haha total life win!!
Chloe says
Another gluten-free and dairy-free recipe added to my list! Thank you for sharing as I'm really running out of variations on what to do with chicken!
I tried making this yesterday as my dinner post-work out meal, it's really delicious and guilt-free! Shared it my work out buddy and she loved it so much that she'll make her own. I shared your recipe to her! ☺️
fitasamamabear says
Thanks so much for passing it along! It's a nice comfort food for sure.
Kristy says
My first time trying this dairy-free alfredo so I followed the recipe exactly, and my family loved it. This did not disappoint. It was delicious!
fitasamamabear says
Yay!
Emily says
My sister is dairy free and gluten free so when we had her over I tried this recipe. We all loved it and she asked for it. Thanks
fitasamamabear says
Ah that's awesome (and you're awesome for whipping something allergy-friendly up for her!!).
Lisa says
So good! No one even knew it was dairy-free.
fitasamamabear says
That's the best compliment!
Greta says
I love this alfredo casserole. And I love coconut milk in the dish. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
fitasamamabear says
Coconut milk makes everything better 😀
Jenn says
Dairy-free alfredo?!?! I'm in love! I thought I'd never be able to enjoy Alfredo sauce but this is deelish!
fitasamamabear says
Haha I have alfredo obsessions so it was CRUCIAL I find a dairy free way to make it!
Allyssa says
This is my new favorite dairy free chicken alfredo casserole recipe! Turned out really delicious and super tasty! Perfect for any gatherings! Will surely have this again! Thanks a bunch for sharing!
fitasamamabear says
So glad you loved it! It's a great one that doesn't take too much effort!