Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
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If you need some easy weeknight meals, look no further than this chicken and broccoli pasta. It’s made with a creamy, light, yummy sauce and simple ingredients, making this a great meal for busy days. Tender chicken, verdant broccoli, cream cheese and noodles makes for for an uber-satisfying, delicious dish, which is so easy to make.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
Low waste – Unlike other chicken and broccoli pasta recipes, I include the broccoli stalks and the florets to help reduce food waste.
Quick dish – This yummy chicken broccoli pasta is ready in 30 minutes or less, perfect for busy work nights.
Flavorful – Packed with seasoning like garlic and red pepper flakes, this pasta dish is uber-tasty!
Family favorite – Picky eaters are no match for the delicious flavor of this broccoli chicken pasta!
Versatile- Easy adjust this recipe to your liking by adding different veggies, using gluten-free pasta, or even making it dairy-free!
If you can’t get enough chicken pasta recipes, try my Creamy Chicken and Chorizo Pasta, Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta, or Chicken and Mushroom Pasta
Ingredients
Chicken Drumstick Meat – If you don’t enjoy drumsticks, use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead. Chicken breast will also work, but it’s easier for the chicken to become dry when using breasts.
Broccoli – Instead of broccoli, you can use other veg like carrots and peas for this chicken and broccoli pasta.
Cream Cheese – This ingredient is the base for the deliciously creamy sauce. If you prefer, you can also use heavy cream.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Blanching Broccoli
This chicken and broccoli pasta turns out the best with blanched, not boiled broccoli. By blanching the broccoli, you can keep it a bright green colour and ensure there’s some bite to it. If you boil broccoli, it can get too soft and become mush as you toss it with the sauce and noodles.
The easiest way to blanch broccoli is by tossing it into a pot with boiling water. It only needs to be in the water for about three minutes. You’ll know the broccoli is ready to come out of the water when it has turned a bright green. Do this for both the stalks and broccoli heads.
Variations/ Adaptations
Want to make this chicken and broccoli pasta your own? Try these variations/adaptations!
Make it vegetarian – You can easily make this chicken broccoli pasta recipe vegetarian by using a meat-free chicken. Alternatively, you can leave out the chicken altogether, as there will still be some protein from the cream cheese.
Try different veggies – Instead of broccoli, add veg like asparagus, carrots, peas, etc.
Replace wine with chicken or veggie stock – If you don’t like the taste of wine or don’t have any on hand, use chicken/vegetable broth instead. Use this swap in a 1:1 ratio.
Add a dash of hot sauce for some kick – There will be a bit of heat from the red pepper flakes, but you can increase the heat with hot sauce. Always start with a smaller amount and add more after tasting if you want it hotter.
Use different cheeses like aged cheddar or gouda. Create a deliciously cheesy recipe by adding freshly grated cheddar or gouda. You can also use options like asiago and parmesan cheese.
Sub lemon pepper seasoning for tajin – If you want a slightly spicier flavour, you can use tajin instead of lemon pepper. Tajin is a mixture of spicy peppers, lime, and salt.
How to make this chicken and broccoli pasta
- Start by slicing the broccoli stalks into smaller pieces and the head into florets (Image 1).
- Then add olive oil and the chopped broccoli stalks into a deep frying pan over a medium/low heat. Season with salt and pepper, then fry for 4 minutes (Image 2).
3. After this time, add the chicken into the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook for around 5 minutes (Image 3).
4. During this time, add your pasta into heavily salted pasta water, setting your timer to the packet time minus 2 minutes (Image 4).
*Note: Add the broccoli florets into the pot with the pasta when there is 3 minutes left on your timer.
5. To the frying pan, add the onion granules, garlic granules, dried basil and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine, then add the cream cheese (Image 5).
6. Allow to heat through, then add two ladles of pasta water (Image 6).
7. Reserve a large mug full of pasta water, then drain the broccoli and pasta in a colander. Transfer to the creamy mix and loosen with a splash of pasta water (Image 7).
8. Stir to combine, then taste to adjust the seasoning with more salt/pepper/dried basil,lemon juice. Dig in! (Image 8).
Try these tasty recipes, if you need some inspiration; Delicious Tagliatelle Carbonara, The Best Garlic Prawns and Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
Tips for the best result
Don’t overcook the broccoli
As mentioned, it’s important to correctly cook the broccoli in this chicken and broccoli pasta. Avoid overcooking it so the veg doesn’t become mushy.
Use a fresh lemon
I find that fresh lemon has a better flavour than packaged lemon juice when making pasta with chicken and broccoli.
Add lemon zest as a garnish
The benefit of using fresh lemon for this recipe is that you can zest it for a garnish. You can also add zest if you prefer a stronger lemon taste in pasta dishes.
Here are some more yummy chicken recipes to enjoy: Creamy Philadelphia Chicken Pasta, Spicy Chicken Pasta, and Easy Chicken and Chorizo Risotto.
Serving Suggestions
I recommend adding a fresh salad or roasted veggie soup if you want a healthier side with this chicken and broccoli pasta. You can also serve the recipe with crusty bread for a cosier meal. Roasted/steamed veggies are also a great side for chicken pasta broccoli.
Make Ahead Instructions
You have a few options to turn this chicken and broccoli pasta into a make-ahead dish. You can prep the ingredients, like chopping and blanching the broccoli and cooking the chicken drumstick meat. This will make the recipe quicker when you start working through it. Or, you can make the sauce (including chicken meat) the day before. The next day, you’ll only need to reheat the sauce in a pan and cook the pasta.
Storage
This chicken and broccoli pasta stores well! Once it has cooled, pack leftovers in an airtight container (or multiple containers for lunches during the week) and keep them in the fridge. The leftovers can last in the refrigerator for up to four days.
You can also freeze the leftovers. Ensure they’re cooled before putting them in an airtight container/baggie and freezing them. They last for up to two months in the freezer, so be sure to finish the pasta chicken broccoli leftovers before then.
Reheating
While you can microwave leftover chicken and broccoli pasta in a pinch, it’s best reheated on the stovetop. Add the leftover pasta to a pan and heat until warmed through. You will likely need to add a small amount of chicken broth or milk to the leftovers to help loosen up the sauce.
FAQs
You can use frozen broccoli instead of fresh for this chicken and broccoli pasta. Allow it to thaw before tossing it with the cream sauce, cooked pasta, and chicken.
Absolutely! However, I recommend adjusting the seasoning to match the flavour of the leftover chicken. Additionally, you can add the chicken to the pan later since it doesn’t need to cook from raw; it just needs to be heated.
Yes, you can use vinegar instead of wine. However, you won’t get as complex of a flavour.
Yes! I love using cream cheese instead of cream. It will still give you that delicious, creamy consistency. With this swap, you may need to add some pasta water to help thin out the sauce.
Yes, you can! See the above notes on this substitution.
Add some yummy roasted veg on the side of this dish for a more filling meal. Here are a few ideas: Simple Honey-Roasted Carrots & Parsnips, The Best Buttered Sauteed Leeks or Sauteed Broccoli (in 10 minutes!)
Explore More Recipes
If you tried this Chicken and Broccoli Pasta recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 heads of broccoli (cut into florets & stalks (sliced into pieces) (£0.79x2)=(£1.58)
- 400 g chicken drumstick meat, sliced into chunks (£2.00)
- 200 g cream cheese £1.30
- Juice of half a lemon £0.30
- 350 g rigatoni £0.75
Cupboard essentials
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp onion granules
- Dried basil
- Red pepper flakes
- Salt & Pepper
Method
- Start by adding the olive oil and chopped broccoli stalks into a deep frying pan over a medium/low heat. Season with salt and pepper, then fry for 4 minutes.
- After this time, add the chicken into the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook for around 5 minutes.
- During this time, add your pasta into heavily salted pasta water, setting your timer to the packet time minus 2 minutes. Add the broccoli florets into the pot with the pasta, when there is 3 minutes left on your timer.
- To the frying pan, add the onion granules, garlic granules, dried basil and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine, then add the cream cheese. Allow to heat through, then add two ladles of pasta water.
- Reserve a large mug full of pasta water, then drain the broccoli and pasta in a colander. Transfer to the creamy mix and loosen with a splash of pasta water. Stir to combine, then taste to adjust the seasoning with more salt/pepper/lemon juice. Dig in!
Notes
- Avoid over cooking the broccoli for ideal texture in chicken and broccoli pasta.
- Opt for fresh lemon over packaged juice for enhanced flavor.
- Garnish with lemon zest for a zesty kick or to intensify the lemon taste in the pasta dish.
Nutrition
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