Chicken Broccoli Pasta
This homemade mac and cheese is rich and creamy, but also healthy and full of protein. It's so much better than the boxed version, and only takes 30 minutes to make.
Servings : 4 serves
Ingredients
- 8 ounces medium shells pasta, uncooked
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup skim milk
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste, or 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to the directions on the box.
- Add broccoli florets to the pasta during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and set aside.
- In the meantime, prepare the chicken.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add in the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes or until browned.
- Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, chicken broth, and flour.
- Add garlic, salt, pepper, and chili powder; whisk until well combined.
- Stir the milk mixture into the pan with the chicken.
- Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
- Add in the pasta, broccoli, and cheddar cheese; stir until cheese is melted and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through.
- Remove from heat and let stand for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir and Serve.
Video
Notes
- Chicken: I use chicken breasts in this recipe, but you can also use chicken thighs. Most importantly, brown the chicken when you cook it. If chicken isn’t thoroughly browned, it won’t have a lot of flavor.
- Shredded Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese is almost always my choice for this recipe, but this will taste great with any melty cheese you want.
- Before adding the sauce to the skillet, whisk it well and make sure there are no lumps. When you pour the sauce into the skillet, do it slowly while whisking. That will keep the sauce from seizing up, clumping, or breaking apart.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for 4 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 20-second increments until warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 636 kcal | Carbohydrates: 59 g | Protein: 44 g | Fat: 25 g | Saturated Fat: 8 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11 g | Trans Fat: 0.01 g | Cholesterol: 103 mg | Sodium: 388 mg | Potassium: 962 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 6 g | Vitamin A: 905 IU | Vitamin C: 63 mg | Calcium: 341 mg | Iron: 2 mg | Net Carbs: 55 g
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.