Ultimate Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
700 g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
02 -
2 medium broccoli heads, quartered into tight green florets
03 -
350 g penne pasta or similar short pasta shapes
→ For Sauté and Sauce
04 -
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
05 -
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 -
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
07 -
3 cloves garlic, minced
08 -
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour, sifted
09 -
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
10 -
1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
11 -
0.5 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
→ Creamy Sauce
12 -
400 ml whole milk
13 -
300 ml low-sodium chicken stock
14 -
150 ml half-and-half
→ Toppings
15 -
100 g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
16 -
180 g shredded mozzarella cheese
# Instructions:
01 -
Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 33x23 cm baking dish thoroughly with oil or butter.
02 -
Cut broccoli into quarters. Blanch florets in boiling water for 2 minutes until bright green. Immediately cool in ice water and chop into bite-size pieces.
03 -
In the same pot, boil penne pasta in salted water until just al dente. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
04 -
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cubed chicken; sauté for 6–7 minutes until golden but not fully cooked. Transfer to a plate.
05 -
Melt butter in the same skillet. Add onion and garlic; cook 3–4 minutes, stirring, until softened and fragrant.
06 -
Stir in flour, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until flour is lightly toasted.
07 -
Gradually pour in milk and chicken stock, stirring and scraping up skillet bits. Bring to gentle simmer. Pour in half-and-half, then return browned chicken and blanched broccoli to pan. Simmer until everything is well coated and heated through.
08 -
Transfer creamy chicken and broccoli mixture to prepared baking dish. Add cooked pasta and toss gently to combine evenly.
09 -
Sprinkle Parmesan and mozzarella evenly across the top to fully cover surface.
10 -
Bake 15–20 minutes until cheese is bubbling and golden brown. Cool 5 minutes before serving to set and allow for clean slicing.
# Notes:
01 -
Allow pasta and sauce mixture to cool slightly before topping with cheese to prevent premature melting.
02 -
Roasting broccoli instead of blanching creates deeper flavour complexity.
03 -
To ensure ideal texture, undercook pasta by 1–2 minutes so it retains bite after baking.
04 -
Leftovers store safely in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat covered to maintain creamy consistency.
05 -
Pasta shape flexibility; ziti, rigatoni, rotini, or fusilli all hold sauce effectively.