Creamy Broccoli Pasta Chicken (Printable Version)

Penne tossed in creamy sauce with broccoli florets and savory chicken pieces for an easy meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta & Vegetables

01 - 10.5 oz penne or fusilli pasta
02 - 1 large head broccoli, cut into small florets (about 10.5 oz)

→ Chicken

03 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 10.5 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces
04 - 1 tbsp olive oil
05 - 1/2 tsp salt
06 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ Sauce

07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 cup heavy cream
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
11 - 1/2 tsp dried Italian herbs (optional)
12 - Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
13 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

14 - Additional grated Parmesan cheese
15 - Fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions. During the last 3 minutes, add broccoli florets. Drain together, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
02 - Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté chicken until golden and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - Lower heat to medium. In the same skillet, melt butter and sauté garlic for 1 minute until fragrant. Add heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in Parmesan cheese, Italian herbs, and nutmeg. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
04 - Add cooked pasta, broccoli, and chicken to the sauce. Toss to coat evenly, adding reserved pasta water gradually to reach desired sauce consistency. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
05 - Serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan and chopped parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in under 45 minutes from start to finish, which means it works perfectly for those nights when you're hungry but don't have energy for complicated cooking.
  • The sauce comes together while the pasta cooks, so there's no juggling multiple pans or waiting around.
  • Tastes like restaurant-quality comfort food but uses just a few everyday ingredients you probably already have.
02 -
  • Don't let the cream come to a hard boil or it can break and look grainy, so keep the heat at a gentle simmer and stir occasionally, which is the difference between silky sauce and sad sauce.
  • The pasta water is your secret weapon because the starch in it helps the sauce stick to the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom, so always reserve it before draining.
  • Taste the dish before serving because pasta dishes are forgiving but seasoning is the thing that transforms it from fine to unforgettable.
03 -
  • Cut your broccoli florets smaller than seems necessary because they'll cook more evenly and you'll get them in every single bite instead of hunting for green pieces.
  • Don't rinse the pasta after draining it because that starch coating is exactly what helps the sauce cling instead of sliding off, so just shake off the excess water.
  • Cook the chicken pieces a tiny bit less than you think they need because they'll continue cooking when they hit the hot cream, and overdone chicken is harder to fix than slightly underdone.

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