Description
A comforting and flavorful pasta dish featuring tender chicken, fresh broccoli, and a silky creamy sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz (340g) penne pasta
- 1 lb (450g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (or olive oil)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or cornstarch for gluten-free)
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half or full-fat coconut milk)
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Prepare your ingredients by measuring and seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Blanch the broccoli in the boiling pasta water during the last 2 minutes of cooking, then drain.
- Sauté the chicken in a skillet with butter until golden brown and cooked through, then remove from pan.
- Create the garlic base by adding minced garlic to the skillet and cooking until fragrant.
- Make the creamy sauce by whisking in flour, then adding chicken broth and cream slowly while whisking.
- Combine everything back in the skillet, stirring in Parmesan, pasta, broccoli, and lemon zest to finish.
Notes
For a lighter version, use Greek yogurt instead of cream and whole wheat pasta for added fiber.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 685
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: pasta, chicken, broccoli, creamy sauce, weeknight dinner