Name: Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 lb chicken breasts (boneless and skinless cut into small bite size pieces); ½ tsp salt (or to taste); ½ tsp pepper (or to taste); 1 medium onion (chopped); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 8 oz pasta (uncooked, such as penne, shells, rigatoni, etc.); 1 cup chicken broth (low sodium); 2 cups milk; 2 cup broccoli (cut into small florets, 1 head of broccoli); ¼ tsp nutmeg; 2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)

This Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta is a dish that is packed with cheesy, rich flavor, loaded with chicken and broccoli. It’s prepared all in the same pot to ensure each bite is tasty and easy to whip up in a flash! One pot and only 30 minutes is all you require to make this incredibly delicious dish!

overhead shot of Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta in a skillet

I think that pasta is such a good base for many a dish. Especially when you make it all in one pot. It really allows for flavor to develop and for the dish to become cohesive. I was inspired to make this Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta recipe tonight after a very long day at work. I wanted something easy and tasty but wouldn’t require much work. So this dish delivered that in spades! It’s packed with tons of cheesy, rich flavor.

One Pot Pasta

We’re used to boiling our pasta separately, in one pot full of salted water before incorporating it into our dish of choice. But today we’re going to cook our pasta right in with our broth, added to our skillet once the chicken is done cooking. Our softened onion and garlic will cook right alongside the pasta to ensure that each bite is flavorful! I’ve added some broccoli for some greenery but feel free to get creative with your veggie additions!

overhead shot of ingredients needed for Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta

Ingredients In Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Olive oil – A nice neutral tasting oil to cook our chicken down in.
Chicken – Boneless and skinless cut into small bite sized pieces. Feel free to substitute thighs in its place if you’d like.
Seasoning – Salt and pepper added to taste.
Garlic – Use as much or little as you like.
Onion – I like to use an onion that cooks down well like white or yellow.
Pasta – Be sure its uncooked, you can use any shape you’d like.
Chicken broth – We want something low sodium to control our salt intake.
Milk – You can use any fat content you’d like to make this dish nice and creamy.
Broccoli – I used an entire head of broccoli cut into small florets for this cheesy chicken pasta recipe.
Spices – Just a bit of nutmeg, if you’ve never tried nutmeg in a cheesy pasta sauce like this one, you’re about to discover a game changer.
Cheese – I like to use a melty cheese with flavor and color like cheddar. If you’d prefer to use mozzarella or even Gouda I won’t stop you!

How To Make Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Brown the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the cut chicken breasts to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and starts to brown.
Saute the sauteables: Add the onions and cook till the onions soften, add the garlic and cook till fragrant which is about 30 seconds.
Cook the pasta: Add the pasta, chicken broth, and milk and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, stir and cover the skillet and simmer for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally until the pasta in cooked through.
Finish the dish: Uncover the pot and stir in the broccoli. Continue cooking for a couple more minutes until all the liquid has evaporated before stirring in the shredded cheese. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm!

What Else Can I Use In This Dish

Veggies

You can get creative with other veggie additions in this dish. I love to bulk up my dishes with flavorful fiberful additions, so here are some suggestions.

Carrots
Peas
Corn
Cauliflower

Pasta

You can have fun with some different shapes here so feel free to use whatever you like but I recommend something that soaks up the sauce like:

Elbow
Rigatoni
Penne
Shells

overhead shot of Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta in a white plate

Storing Leftovers

This dish can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 5 days. You can freeze this dish for up to 3 months in an airtight container. To reheat just remove the dish from its airtight container and place in a baking dish covered with aluminum foil and bake at 350 F degrees till reheated through, around 20 – 30 minutes.

Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Pasta