Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

Name: Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 5 serving
Ingredients: 9 oz large shell pasta; 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts; 12 oz broccoli florets*; 2 1/2 Tbsp butter; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp onion powder; 1/4 tsp garlic powder; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 3 cups low-fat milk; 6 oz 2% reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese**; 1 oz Parmesan Cheese

User Reviews

5.0

6 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Servings
5
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
American

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

Iris Warren

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Creamy cheesy shells are swirled with broccoli and hearty bites of chicken for a dish that's sure to satisfy!

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Ingredients

Servings

9 oz large shell pasta , dry (3 1/4 cups)
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts , cooked and shredded into small bites size pieces
12 oz broccoli florets* , diced into small bite size pieces (4 1/2 cups once diced)
2 1/2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups low-fat milk
6 oz 2% reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese** , shredded (1 1/2 cups)*
1 oz Parmesan Cheese , finely shredded (1/3 cup)

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Instructions

Boil pasta according to directions listed on package adding broccoli during last 3 - 4 minutes of boiling, drain well (reserve 1/4 cup pasta water, just in case you want to thin pasta sauce).
Meanwhile, in a pot melt butter over medium heat then stir in flour. Cook mixture stirring constantly for 1 minute.
While whisking vigorously, slowly add in milk, then season with onion powder, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high, cook mixture, stirring constantly until it boils and thickens.
Remove from heat, allow to cool for 1 minute then add in cheddar and parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Add drained pasta and broccoli and chicken and toss to evenly coat. As it sits it will thicken, you can thin it with a few tbsp pasta water if desired.

Notes

*I think fresh broccoli is best in this shells and cheese recipe, but if you use frozen I recommend thawing it first and draining it before adding it to the boiling pasta water.
**If you want a stronger cheddar cheese flavor, use 8 oz. You can also use extra sharp cheddar.
Recipe Source: Cooking Classy