Chicken and broccoli pasta is perfect for a weeknight dinner. It's delicious and can be ready in less that 30 minutes. This recipe uses no cream, and the parmesan cheese can be left out for a dairy-free version!
I've been making this chicken and broccoli pasta for over 10 years. Yes, 10! And I can't believe it hasn't ever made its way to the blog. It's SO good and easy. It has been a go-to recipe for a long time.
It's pretty simple and easy to make. Boil pasta. Cook chicken. Cook broccoli. Add seasonings and spices. Voila! A dish that is perfect for a weeknight dinner.
It's kid-friendly too! You may want to leave out the red pepper flakes if you're making it for kids, but my daughter started eating this dish when she was two years old. I leave the parmesan cheese off of her pasta dish as well, since she doesn't like the smell.
Ingredients
- Chicken breast
- Broccoli
- Pasta
- Olive oil
- Spices and seasonings - paprika, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, dried oregano
- Lemon
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
What to know before making the recipe
Here's a few tips and things to know!
- Feel free to leave out the red pepper flakes if you don't want it spicy.
- I usually use dried oregano, but you could use Italian seasoning or herbs de provence.
- I usually cube up my chicken and cook it, but you could also use precooked or rotisserie chicken to make this even easier! Also, I typically use chicken breast, but chicken thighs are a great option as well.
- This recipe serves 2, but I will double it if I'm also making it for my kids or having company over.
How to make chicken and broccoli pasta
This is a summary of how to make the chicken broccoli pasta. For full instructions and amounts, scroll to the bottom of this post to view the recipe card.
Start your pasta water to boil, then prep your ingredients! Chop up your broccoli into small florets, and dice the chicken into cubes. Start cooking up your chicken in a skillet while boiling your pasta.
Remove chicken from the skillet, then cook up your broccoli. I add a splash of water to help it steam and soften. Then, add pasta and spices and toss together.
Yum. So good.
I almost always top mine with freshly shaved parmesan cheese that I grate with a microplane. It's so good and adds that perfect finishing touch to the pasta.
More pasta recipes
Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry pasta like farfalle, penne, ziti, etc.
- 8 ounce chicken breast
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ small lemon
- grated parmesan cheese for serving, optional
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Boil pasta according to the package directions.
- While water starts boiling, prep your chicken and broccoli. Cut broccoli into small florets and dice chicken into 1 inch cubes.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle 1 Tablespoon olive oil into the skillet. Add chicken. Cook chicken for 3-4 minutes, then flip each piece and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from the skillet.
- Add more oil if needed. Add broccoli florets to the skillet. Then add ¼ cup water to deglas the skillet and slightly steam the broccoli. Cook broccoli for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently. Water should be cooked off, but if not, drain. Turn off the heat.
- Add cooked pasta, paprika, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, and juice from ½ a lemon to the skillet. Stir to combine, then season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Plate, then top with parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Feel free to leave out the red pepper flakes if you don't want it spicy.
- I usually use dried oregano, but you could use Italian seasoning or herbs de provence.
- I usually cube up my chicken and cook it, but you could also use precooked or rotisserie chicken to make this even easier! Also, I typically use chicken breast, but chicken thighs are a great option as well.
- This recipe serves 2, but I will double it if I'm also making it for my kids or having company over.
Nutrition
If nutrition info is shown, values are based on an online calculator and are estimates. Please verify using your own data.
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