Description
The coziest chicken and broccoli pasta bake made with REAL ingredients, simple steps, and hardly any time in the kitchen!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 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.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 531
- Sugar: 2.9 g
- Sodium: 685.6 mg
- Fat: 18.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 22.9 g
- Protein: 66.5 g
- Cholesterol: 192.3 mg
