Chicken Broccoli Pasta
This Chicken Broccoli Pasta is a delicious and easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love. Made with tender chicken, fresh broccoli, and al dente pasta coated in a creamy garlic sauce, this dish is sure to be a hit.
One of our favorite things about this pasta recipe is that it can come together in just about 30 minutes, which means that it’s perfect for busy weeknights!
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s a complete one-pot meal that’s both hearty and nutritious.
- The creamy garlic sauce perfectly complements the tender chicken and fresh broccoli.
- It requires minimal prep and only 30 minutes to make, which is ideal for busy lifestyles.
- It is kid-friendly and sure to impress even the pickiest eaters!
🛒Ingredients
We’ve made this list to help you save time on your next trip to the grocery store. You can find the full amounts needed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- penne pasta
- chopped broccoli
- shredded chicken
- butter
- cream cheese
- heavy cream
- chicken broth
- sundried tomatoes
- lemon juice
- all purpose flour
- parmesan cheese
- salt
- pepper
- garlic powder
- paprika
- basil
- oregano
🔪 How to Make Chicken Broccoli Pasta
This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the flour to the saucepan. Stir continuously until the mixture becomes smooth and no lumps remain.
- Gradually pour in the chicken broth, a little at a time, stirring continuously to maintain a smooth consistency. Once chicken broth is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth, add heavy cream and cream cheese and stir till cream cheese is melted and smooth.
- Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, basil and oregano. Mix to evenly distribute. Add Parmesan cheese and sundried tomatoes, and lemon juice. Stir till all cheese is melted and sauce is heated through and slightly thickened.
- Stir in pasta, broccoli, and chicken. Cook for 5 minutes until flavors meld and pasta is heated through
🥄 Equipment
This is the list of equipment that you will need to make this recipe:
- large pot
- large skillet or pan
🥫 Storage
Storage – Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing – Unfortunately, this dish does not freeze well due to the creamy sauce, as it can change in texture when thawed.
Reheating – To reheat, warm the pasta gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of chicken broth or cream to loosen the sauce if needed.
Serve With
This dish is a great one-pot meal, so you can serve it on its own. However, we like to pair it with a simple green salad like this Copycat Chickfila Kale Salad, and a fresh bread side like Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Garlic Bread.
💭 Tips
- For a smoother sauce, bring your cream cheese to room temperature before adding it to the pan. This helps it melt more easily and evenly.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the best flavor and texture—it melts better than pre-grated versions.
- If you don’t have sundried tomatoes on hand, you can substitute them with fresh cherry tomatoes for a slightly different taste and texture.
- Cook your pasta al dente, as it will continue to cook slightly when mixed with the sauce, preventing it from becoming overly soft.
- Adjust the seasoning to your taste. You can always add a pinch of basil or paprika if desired.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Yes! While we recommend a hearty pasta like penne or rigatoni that holds up well to the sauce, you can use any shape you have on hand.
This dish is best enjoyed fresh, but you can prepare it a few hours ahead of time. Store it in the refrigerator and reheat gently before serving, adding a little liquid to refresh the sauce.
If you don’t have heavy cream, you can use half-and-half or a mixture of milk and butter, but note that the sauce may not be as rich and creamy.
🍽 More Pasta Recipes
Do you enjoy pasta? If so, try these delicious recipes:
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Chicken Broccoli Pasta
Equipment
- large pot
- large skillet or pan
Ingredients
- 3 cups penne pasta uncooked
- 3 cups chopped broccoli
- 3 cups cooked sliced/shredded chicken
- ½ cup Butter
- 4 ounces Cream cheese
- 21/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup chopped sundried tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons AP flour
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon oregano
Instructions
- Cook Penne Pasta according to package directions, adding broccoli for the last 5
- minutes of cook time. Set aside.
- In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the
- flour to the saucepan.
- Stir continuously until the mixture becomes smooth and no lumps remain.
- This is your roux. Gradually pour in the chicken broth, a little at a time, stirring continuously to maintain a smooth consistency.
- Once chicken broth is fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth, add heavy cream
- and cream cheese and stir till cream cheese is melted and smooth.
- Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, basil and oregano. Mix to evenly distribute.
- Add Parmesan cheese and sundried tomatoes, and lemon juice. Stir till all cheese is
- melted and sauce is heated through and slightly thickened.
- lastly, stir in pasta, broccoli, and chicken. Cook for 5 minutes until flavors meld and
- pasta is heated through.
- Enjoy!
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
