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:
Love cozy meals? Try our Sicilian Chicken Soup. It’s a winner every single time!
PrintFamily Night Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
The coziest chicken and broccoli pasta bake made with REAL ingredients, simple steps, and hardly any time in the kitchen!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups dry small shaped pasta
- 3 cups fresh 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
Instructions
- 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.
- In a bowl, 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.
- 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 will slightly thicken.
- 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.
- 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.
Notes
- You can use any small shaped pasta of choice. I love using whole wheat pasta when I can for a more nutrient dense meal.
- 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.
- 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
Angelina says
This sounds not only delicious, but also healthy & easy! I’d like to make this, then bring it to a grieving family friend, so I’m wondering the best way to have them re-heat it, so it won’t dry out. Thank you for all of your lovely recipes. 🌹
Katya says
Hi Angelina: you can make the recipe as written but when you reheat it, you can add a splash of chicken broth or cream. It reheats really well on the stovetop.
Ma brook says
Hey from ohio
We made this but added some corn and shreded carrots was definatly a solid everyone liked it
Lauri A Pine says
How much pasta is that in dry ounces? Is it 1 1/2 cups measured dry or after cooking?
Thank you!
★★★★★
Katya says
Hi Laurie: You’ll need about 6 ounces of dry pasta for the entire recipe.
Taeler says
Could I replace the broccoli with cauliflower?
Katya says
I think it’ll work. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time.
Fiona says
Hi, I’m making this today, wondering can it be frozen if I make a bigger one? Thanks
Katya says
You mean before or after baking?
Fiona says
Sorry, making it again today and have the same question! I mean either before or after cooking? It was delicious last time thanks for the recipe!
Fiona says
I your response to this on a different comment, thanks!
Katya says
I’m sorry…what is the question?
Hannah says
I made this recipe a few weeks ago but I think I used too much mozzarella! I’m in the UK and unsure of the conversation, could someone tell me how much mozzarella this is roughly in grams?? A few websites I’ve looked at all come up with different answers!
★★★★★
Chelsea says
168g!
Anaisa Mohamed says
Hello all the way from South Africa!
I tried this substituting the cream cheese with a can of cream of mushroom soup, and I added mushrooms to the chicken as well
It was a beautiful meal
Definitely a keeper
Thank you!
★★★★★
Anaisa Mohamed says
Hi all the way from South Africa!
I googled and came across this recipe
I replaced the cream cheese with a can of cream of mushroom soup
Also added fresh mushrooms to the chicken
It was amazing
Thank you!
Katya says
That sounds delicious! Thank you for feedback!
Jenny says
How big are the portion sizes?
Marly says
sounds delish! do you think substituting mixed veggies would work?
Katya says
totally!
Carole Price says
Loved it! Perfect recipe, simple ingredients and tastes extra special!!
★★★★★
Sharon Augustine says
Would this freeze well after baking?
Katya says
I haven’t tried it with this specific recipe so I can’t answer with certainty. Cream sauce type recipes do not reheat well from frozen but it also depends on the recipe. Some do okay and some not so well.
Sara W says
This has become one of our weekly dinners. Everyone loves it!!
Katya says
So happy to hear that! Thank you.
Sandy says
Going to make this tonight but don’t have enough broccoli so I am going to mix the broc with cauliflower and add red pepper for colour.
Hillary says
I have all of the ingredients except for the cream cheese. Do you think Cream of Chicken would be an acceptable subsittute? I know the flavor wouldn’t be the same but the creaminess would still be coming into play?
Katya says
I think it will! The flavor will change a bit but it should totally work.
Jean says
it was really amazing recipe!my boyfriend and I loves it❤️ thank you Miss K!
★★★★
Lisa says
I wanted to try this but no cream cheese on hand! Looks delicious, thank you for posting.
Chantel says
This has been the first time I’ve ever felt the need to post. This recipe is FANTASTIC! Very simple, great for the whole family and perfect as is…no modifications needed. THANK YOU!!!
★★★★★
Katya says
That makes me so happy Chantel! I appreciate your feedback.
Rebecca says
This was a hit at my house tonight. I didn’t have Parmesan cheese so I only used mozzarella cheese, which was still delicious. I’ll be making this again.
★★★★★
Katya says
That’s great to hear! Thank you Rebecca.
LisaMarie says
This is keeper. For efficiency with pots, I love parboiling the broccoli with the pasta; I did half-and-half broccoli and carrots, and they both had great texture. Can also use an oven-proof pan so that you can put it right in the oven after adding the pasta and veggies to the cooked chicken and sauce. I sprinkled seasonings on the chicken before sauteing and then threw the leftover seasonings into the sauce.Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you!
Amy Shelton says
This right up my husband’s alley. He hates chicken, but loved it. I’m always looking for new ways to make chicken. I added mushrooms in with the chicken and doubled the sauce. Oh my goodness it’s good.
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you Amy! So glad you all enjoyed it.
Rachel says
Kia ora
We had this for our dinner tonight and went down like a treat. This will be our new go to instead of Mac N Cheese.
Thank you
Amanda says
Made this tonight and the only thing I omitted was the paprika because I don’t care for it. It was super delicious, but I wish it had more sauce. Do you think if I doubled the cream cheese and broth it would be creamier? I’m going to add Alfredo sauce to the leftovers for now.
Katya says
Glad you enjoyed it! And yes you can totally double up the sauce.
Helen says
Really nice, my husband was thrilled 🙂 I’d use more pasta in relation to chicken, though, and maybe more broccoli – I’ll try that next time!
★★★★
gMaNette says
I made this and did have to substitute some ingredients. I loved the proportions of pasta, chicken and broccoli! Delicious!
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you!
Jillian says
All 5 of my kids loved it! Thats a HUGE win for our house. Thank you for such a yummy recipe.
★★★★★
Katya says
That’s so awesome Jillian! So happy they all approved.
Kim says
So delicious! I’m making it again tonight. So glad I found this recipe!!
★★★★★
Katya says
Thanks so much Kim! Glad you loved the recipe.
Olga says
This is a killer recipe and my family loved it. This is my go to meal to bring after someone has a baby!
★★★★★
Valerie says
Great family dinner, thanks so much! I used cheddar instead of mozzarella, so it may have had a sharper taste, but the cream cheese is what makes it! Kids loved it.
★★★★★
Katya says
I love that and love that your kids loved it too! Thank you Valerie for your review.
Mindy says
Sounds delicious and I think I’ll make this week! I have an extra rotisserie chicken. Has anyone tried making with shredded rotisserie chicken? Would that work?
★★★★★
Maggie says
I made crockpot homemade rotisserie chicken and used leftovers for this recipe… the only thing I changed was omitting any additional salary and pepper since my chicken was already salty.
Thank you for this quick and EASY delicious recipe!!!
Brandy says
Made this today for dinner & it was a hit! Thanks for the great recipe!
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you Brandy!
Jessica says
Can I freeze this in a foil pan and bake later from frozen?
Katya says
Yes, it should be fine.
Melissa says
Made this for dinner today for my husband and I. It was delicious! My husband is a picky eater and this is the first time he has ever eaten broccoli! Yeey! He couldn’t stop eating and said he wanted to eat this every week. Thank you so much for the recipe!
★★★★★
Katya says
That’s so great to hear Melissa! Thank you so much for your feedback. So happy you all enjoyed it.
Davina says
I made the recipe exactly as instructed anf added a dry ranch seasoning packet and mixed in bacon bits just prior to baking! Delicious!
Katya says
Thank you! So happy you enjoyed it.
Brenda says
I’m on a diet so I used half the cheeses and added black olives. I also used fresh garlic. This was so delicious and filling!
Katya says
I love that! Thanks for sharing.
Destiny Rice says
This turned out a little greasy and runny, and it would have benefitted a lot from as much as twice the broccoli that the recipe calls for, but overall it was tasty and pretty easy to prepare. It would definitely be a big hit for most kids.
★★★★
Amy says
Going to make this today, do you think I could prep it this morning and do the baking of it later on? Looks delish can’t wait 🙂
Katya says
I think the pasta will soak up some of the liquid if it stands too long. I would recommend baking right away.
Yuliya K says
Made it tonight! Very delicious! Hubby loved it… will be making again!
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you!
Marianne Stewart says
Made with boneless thighs and it was terrific!
★★★★
Olga says
I doubled this recipe thinking we’d have some leftovers. Yeah right, my family DEVOURED it. It’s such an easy, quick and delicious meal. Thanks for such a simple meal recipe!
★★★★★
Katya says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Svetlana says
Just made this today! Kids loved it! One of my daughters even eat broccoli, which she doesn’t like:)
★★★★★
Katya says
That’s so great! I love it when kids eat new veggies 🙂 Thank so much for your feedback.
Alena T. says
This is perfect! Second time making this, it is so lights yet creamy, thank you for this recipe! It is on our favorite meals list 🙂
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you Alena! I so appreciate your feedback.
Michelle Fleeting says
Made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit! Kids loved it, even the broccoli hating child loved it. Thanks from Sydney Australia
Katya says
Thank you!! So glad you enjoyed it.