Creamy Broccoli Pasta with Chicken (Print)
Tender chicken and pasta in a rich, creamy sauce with vibrant broccoli florets. A comforting and satisfying meal.
# Ingredient List:
→ Proteins
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (14 oz), cut into bite-sized pieces
→ Pasta
02 - 12 oz penne or fusilli pasta
→ Vegetables
03 - 10 oz broccoli florets
→ Dairy & Sauces
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
09 - ¼ cup whole milk
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Optional Garnishes
11 - Fresh parsley, chopped
12 - Extra Parmesan cheese
# How-To Steps:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Add broccoli florets during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta and broccoli together, reserving ½ cup of pasta water.
02 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until golden and cooked through, approximately 6-7 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.
03 - In the same skillet, add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in heavy cream and milk, stirring to deglaze the pan.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add Parmesan cheese and whisk until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add reserved pasta water gradually if the sauce becomes too thick.
05 - Return chicken, pasta, and broccoli to the skillet. Toss all ingredients until evenly coated in creamy sauce. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Transfer to serving dishes immediately. Garnish with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The sauce creates this magical balance where it clings to every pasta ridge without being heavy, something I discovered after dozens of cream sauce disasters.
- You can throw this together even when your brain is completely fried after work, yet guests always think you spent hours in the kitchen.
02 -
- Reserve that pasta water like its liquid gold, because the starchy water is your secret weapon for rescuing a sauce thats too thick or broken.
- The skillet needs to be off the heat before you add the Parmesan, a painful lesson I learned after watching an entire batch of cheese clump into a solid mass instead of melting smoothly.
03 -
- Cook the pasta just shy of al dente since it will continue cooking slightly when tossed with the hot sauce, preventing that dreaded mushy pasta syndrome.
- Warm your serving bowls by filling them with hot water for a minute before draining and adding pasta, a restaurant trick that keeps everything at the perfect temperature twice as long.