Chicken Broccoli Pasta
Cozy up with a big bowl of this cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta. This chicken broccoli pasta recipe comes together quickly and is perfect any night of the week.
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 502kcal
Equipment
- 1 2.5-quart Corningware baking dish
- 1 pasta pot with colander
- 1 saucepan
Ingredients
Pasta, Chicken, Broccoli
- 8 ounces tortiglioni pasta Al dente, Delallo Foods
- 3 cups broccoli florets remove stem
- ½ - ¾ lb. chicken breasts shredded, about 1-1.5 breasts
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¾ - 1 cup yellow onion diced small
- 2 teaspoons garlic finely diced
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- kosher salt to season
- cracked black pepper to season
- 2 tablespoons AP flour
- 2 sprigs thyme fresh
- 1 cup chicken broth low sodium optional
- ½ cup 2% milk
- 4 ounces cream cheese cubed
- ¼ - ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
How to Make Chicken Broccoli Pasta Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2.5-quart Corningware baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
Make the Pasta and Broccoli
- Boil a pot of water and season it with salt. Add the pasta and two minutes before it reaches al dente, add the broccoli florets. Quickly blanch the broccoli in the hot water before draining the water. Drizzle everything with extra virgin olive oil and set aside.Reserve some of the pasta water BEFORE you add the broccoli. Otherwise, the water will be green.
Shred the Chicken
- Shred ½ - ¾ pounds of chicken breasts. This is roughly 1 – 1.5 chicken breasts. Option to blanch the chicken and shred it with two forks or you can use rotisserie chicken. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Sauce
- Add extra virgin olive oil and salted butted to a saucepan. Add the diced yellow onion and sauté. Next, add the finely diced garlic and sauté until fragrant.Season with kosher salt, cracked black pepper and ground mustard. Mix well. Then, add the AP flour and fresh thyme. Allow the flour to cook in to pan for 2-3 minutes before deglazing the pan with chicken broth. Scrape any small pieces from the bottom of the pan.
- Next, slowly add the milk, whisk well. Your sauce should begin to thicken. If it is getting too thick reduce the heat and add a touch of reserved pasta water. Next, add the cubed cream cheese. Whisk the cream cheese into the sauce. Once it is well combined, add the grated parmesan cheese. Whisk well again.
Bake
- Once the sauce is well combined remove the fresh thyme sprigs and fold in the al dente pasta, blanched broccoli, and shredded chicken. Toss until well combined. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the top. Cover and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and hot. Serve hot and enjoy.
Notes
How to Store
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat in a pan or in the microwave.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat in a pan or in the microwave.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving or 1/5th of the entire pasta bake | Calories: 502kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 454mg | Potassium: 620mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1004IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 247mg | Iron: 2mg