Family Night Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake

The coziest chicken and broccoli pasta bake made with REAL ingredients, simple steps, and hardly any time in the kitchen!

This hearty pasta bake pairs so well with a simple Tomato Mozzarella Salad or green leafy salad such as Avocado Caesar Salad with Cucumbers.

Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

There’s no doubt that family time is very precious and I think we all crave more of it. That’s why most nights dinner for us is very simple, easy, and quick.

For me, it’s especially important to have a well-balanced meal with lean protein and veggies. On a whim, I made this cozy chicken and broccoli pasta bake a few weeks ago with basically what I had in my fridge and my family went crazy for it.

It’s made with REAL ingredients, such as chicken, broccoli, pasta, and cheese. Plus crazy simple steps. So you’ll be in and out of the kitchen in no time cozying up with your loved ones.

Chicken and Broccoli Bake Recipe

What I love most about this chicken and broccoli bake is that it’s made with ingredients that I normally have in my pantry or fridge. Not to mention these are real simple ingredients.

• Pasta – any small shaped pasta works here, either white or whole wheat. I personally love gemelli and try to use whole wheat pasta when I can for a more nutrient-dense meal.
• Broccoli – buy broccoli and cut it into florets yourself. It’s fresher and you have control over how big you want your florets to be. 
• Chicken – chicken thighs, chicken tenders, or chicken breast are good chicken options for this recipe. Chicken thighs will give you more flavor and are most tender.
• Cream cheese – look for cream cheese with fewer ingredients and buy organic when possible. I personally love Organic Valley cream cheese.

It’s made with only a handful of ingredients, including milk from pasture-raised cows. If you’re feeling adventurous, here’s a recipe on how to make your own cream cheese.

• Cheese – you will need mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself. It’s fresher, tastes better, and has fewer additives.

How to Make Chicken Broccoli Bake

To make this chicken and broccoli pasta bake, you’ll need a large sauté pan (3 quarts or larger) big enough to fit the sauce, cooked pasta, chicken, and broccoli.

You’ll also need a baking dish around 10 X 10 inches or something similar in size.

• Step 1: Cook the pasta according to package directions one minute shy of al dente. Make sure to salt the water before adding the pasta.

Good ration to remember is 1 teaspoon kosher salt per 1-quart water. In the last two minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets and cook just until almost tender. Drain and set aside.

• Step 2: While the pasta is cooking, toss the chicken with spices, salt, and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan with oil over medium-high heat, when hot, add chicken and cook until no longer pink on the outside.

Add chicken broth and bring mixture to a simmer. Stir in cream cheese until melted. Then add half of the mozzarella cheese. The sauce should slightly thicken.

• Step 3: Gently fold in cooked pasta and broccoli. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 15 minutes in a 375 degree F oven.
• Step 4: Top with remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Continue to bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted. Before serving, let the chicken broccoli bake rest for 5 minutes.

Easy Sides for Chicken and Broccoli Pasta:

• Greek Cucumber Salad
• House Salad Recipe
• Ultimate Heirloom Tomato Salad

If you try this Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake, don’t forget to leave feedback and a rating.

Family Night Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake

★★★★★ 4.8 from 11 reviews

• Author: Katya
• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 40 min
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x
• Category: Main
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

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Description

The coziest chicken and broccoli pasta bake made with REAL ingredients, simple steps, and hardly any time in the kitchen!

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups small shaped pasta
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 lb. chicken tenders, cut into bite size pieces
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 3/4 – 1 cup chicken broth
• 4 oz. cream cheese, cut into cubes
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 2 Tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt and fresh black pepper

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Instructions

1. Cook pasta in salted water one minute shy of al dente according to package instructions. Last 2 minutes of cooking, stir in broccoli florets. Drain and set aside.
2. Toss chicken with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat and cook chicken for few minutes until no longer pink on the outside.
3. Add chicken broth and let it come to a simmer. Once simmering, add cream cheese and stir until melted. It’s okay to have small speckles of cream cheese. It will incorporate when baked. Stir in 3/4 cup mozzarella until melted. The sauce with slightly thicken.
4. Turn off heat and gently fold in cooked pasta and broccoli. Transfer to a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 15 minutes.
5. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, for about 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

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Notes

1. You can use any small shaped pasta of choice. I love using whole wheat pasta when I can for a more nutrient dense meal.
2. I tested this bake with chicken thighs, chicken breast, and chicken tenders. All work but my family’s favorite was chicken thighs. They are insanely tender and give off delicious flavor. So the sauce is a little more saucier.
3. To serve, I love to add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. The contrast of spicy with creamy sauce is so good.

Keywords: easy, kid friendly, quick, simple, cozy

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