Description
A practical, one-pot pasta dish with cooked chicken and broccoli in a creamy sauce, perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 300 g (10 oz) pasta (penne or rotini)
- 2 cups broccoli florets (about 200 g)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (or butter)
- 450 g (1 lb) boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 2 cm cubes
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided (to taste)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder (or 3 cloves garlic, minced)
- ½ tsp paprika (optional)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup milk or half-and-half
- ½ cup heavy cream (optional for extra creamy)
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more to serve
- Zest of ½ lemon and 1–2 tsp lemon juice (optional)
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)
- Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Boil pasta by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than package directions, adding broccoli florets in the last 2 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain and set aside.
- Cook chicken by heating olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Season chicken with ½ tsp salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Sauté 5–6 minutes until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Make sauce by reducing heat to medium. Pour in chicken broth and milk (and cream if using); scrape up browned bits. Simmer 2–3 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until melted and smooth. Adjust thickness with splashes of reserved pasta water as needed.
- Combine by adding drained pasta, broccoli, and cooked chicken to the skillet. Toss 1–2 minutes over low heat until creamy and pasta is al dente. Season with remaining salt to taste, add lemon zest/juice if using, and parsley.
- Serve by plating immediately, finishing with extra Parmesan and red pepper flakes if desired.
Notes
This dish is versatile; swap proteins or adjust ingredients based on availability. Control heat and use reserved pasta water to maintain sauce texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 to 1.5 cups
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 75mg