Tender crisp broccoli florets and savory chicken are perfect together in this creamy, cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta. I love the textures and flavors in this super fast meal. Forget takeout, this is the kind of easy dinner I go to for my busiest weeknights.
Weeknight dinners are hard, ok? Even now that my boys are older and can help with the driving, all of the activities on our calendar can still make getting dinner on the table a bit overwhelming some nights. Dinners like this easy pasta solve the problem.
And, it’s a solution I have dialed in over the years, like with this Southwest chicken skillet, because they just work.
I have a fair number of recipes that use pre-cooked chicken. I love the way that I can make a big batch in the slow cooker to save me time in front of the stove. However, a store-bought rotisserie chicken will work just as well.
And, broccoli has been appearing at my table on repeat, pretty much ever since I learned how to properly cook it. Tender crisp, people! And since broccoli is also my middle son’s favorite vegetable, it is included in our recipes frequently.
Pasta – I use half a pound of bucatini for this chicken broccoli pasta. But, spaghetti, or even linguini noodles would also work.
Broccoli – I use a lot of broccoli (6 cups!). But, because the florets are diced small, they just incorporate throughout the sauce.
Chicken – I like to use pre-cooked chicken. But, for this recipe I used a rotisserie chicken from the store.
Butter – I always use salted butter, unless otherwise noted. In this recipe, I use half a stick.
Fresh Garlic – I use 3 cloves of garlic, unless I’m craving more. Some days, I just can’t have too much garlic.
Chicken Broth – I use 2 cups of chicken broth in this recipe.
Heavy Cream – I only use 1 cup of heavy cream in this recipe. If the pasta isn’t saucy enough, you can also add a little of the pasta water.
Flour – I use a little flour in this recipe to thicken the sauce. If gluten is a concern, you can swap in corn starch instead, but you’ll only need about half as much.
Seasonings – I always use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper in my recipes. And, I strongly prefer fresh parsley to dried parsley. You can taste the difference!
Cheese – Is it really pasta if you don’t top it with shredded cheese? I love freshly shredded pecorino cheese with this pasta. But, parmesan works too.
Boiling the Water: I set a large pot over high heat on my stove to heat the water.
Cooking the Pasta: I add the pasta noodles to the boiling water without breaking them, then I cook them for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until finished.
Prepping the Vegetables: I peel and mince the garlic and dice the broccoli florets into tiny pieces.
Melting the Butter: Once the vegetables are prepped, I add half the butter to my big skillet and melt it over medium heat.
Adding the Vegetables: I add the minced garlic and diced broccoli to the pan.
Sauteing the Vegetables: I give the broccoli and garlic a quick stir, then add water and cover with a lid to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Adding the Chicken: I add in the cooked chicken and toss to combine. Then, I transfer the chicken and vegetables to a bowl.
Starting the Sauce: I start the sauce by melting the rest of the butter in the same pan.
Whisking in the Flour: I sprinkle the flour over the butter and then whisk until it is smooth.
Adding the Broth: I pour in the chicken broth and continue whisking until it has been fully incorporated.
Increasing the Heat: I increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
Adding the Cream: As soon as it simmers, I add the cream and whisk it all together.
Reducing the Heat: As soon as the cream starts to bubble again, I reduce the heat to low.
Simmering the Sauce: I let the sauce slowly simmer at low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until it begins to thicken.
Drain the Pasta: I drain the bucatini with a colander into the sink.
Adding the Pasta: I add the cooked pasta to the sauce once it has thickened.
Adding the Other Ingredients: I return the chicken and vegetables to the pan, and toss everything together so that it is evenly coated with sauce.
Topping the Pasta: I finish the chicken broccoli pasta by freshly shredding some pecorino cheese over it, and then sprinkling with finely chopped parsley leaves.
Seasoning: I add salt and pepper at the end because the cheese also has salt in it.
This pasta lives or dies in those minutes where the butter, flour, broth, and cream come together. So, I am careful not to rush the roux! A roux is just a fancy word for the first stage of making a sauce like this with butter and flour.
I have learned to let the flour and butter cook long enough to lose the taste of flour. Then, when the broth and cream are added, it will thicken into the silky and smooth sauce that you want! Patience makes all the difference.
Chop Small – In a dish like this, I find that it pays to chop things a little smaller than you think they should be. Smaller pieces make it easier to get all the ingredients in every bite.
Let it Rest – Once everything is ready, I give the pasta a few minutes to relax in the pan, instead of serving it piping hot. Warm sauce has better consistency and thickness.
Whenever I make this recipe, I like to pair with something light and fresh like this cucumber tomato salad or a sweet kale vegetable salad. This provides balance in the meal between the fresh veg and the creamy, hearty chicken pasta. If I’m feeling it, I’ll also whip up some fresh garlic herb bread to go with it.
And, is there ever a bad day for a good dessert? Not at my house! I love ending this chicken broccoli pasta with a thin slice of this Hershey’s chocolate cake. It’s hard to think of a better note to end on, rather than rich chocolate.
Make Ahead: You can do some of the prep for this recipe ahead of time, but I do not recommend making the whole dish beforehand. Instead, I prep the sauce with chicken and vegetables, but don’t cook the noodles until ready to serve.
How to Store: I find that this dinner keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days, if stored in an airtight container. The sauce will thicken as it chills.
How to reheat: The key to reheating this meal? I add a splash of cream or milk and use low heat to bring it back up to the desired temperature on the stove. I try to avoid using the microwave because it has a tendency to break the sauce into an oily mess.
If you’ve followed the instructions, then chances are good you nailed it. The sauce will thicken to consistency you want when you let it cool enough to eat!
I do not recommend it. Frozen broccoli has already been partially cooked, and so the result will lack the textures that make it so good in this recipe.
The best way that I can explain it is that the broccoli should be bright green, and easily pierced with a fork. But, when I chew it, it still has a slight bite. If it’s mushy, you went too far. If it’s still hard, give it another minute.
I always pay attention to the slight color shift from yellow to white, and the aroma change. It should smell slightly nutty. Here’s a good video tutorial on making a roux.
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