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A super easy and tasty Chicken Broccoli Pasta dinner that is ready in under 30 minutes. This one is great for the whole family, and so delicious!
This easy family dinner is perfect for busy weeknights! Crispy chicken, a creamy sauce, tender pasta and bright green broccoli make this a complete meal worthy of repeating.
Throw this together in under 30 minutes, with very little meal prep required, and definitely no culinary degree. This is a good recipe for a beginner cook, for sure!
The sauce is similar to an alfredo sauce, but much less work. If you want to cheat further, just cook the chicken strips, boil the pasta in salted water according to package instructions, and pour over the sauce! Add a little parmesan cheese and you are good to go.
This
A little shortcut: Frozen chicken strips. I throw these crispy chicken tenders in the oven at 400°F for 20 minutes, then let them cool a little before slicing them and adding them to my cooked pasta dish.
Try this make ahead (freezer friendly) Chicken Potato Bake!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Simple steps. No culinary degree required!
- Almost 1 pan. I LOVE cooking pasta WITH the sauce, saving me from having to dirty up another saucepan.
- Basic ingredients. No trips to the store for extra items!
Kylee’s Notes
What to do with leftovers
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat until it is piping hot!
Substitutions/Additions
Switch out the broccoli for any other steamed vegetable that you like. Add some zucchini, cauliflower or carrots if you want to boost the vegetable content.
You can use jarred alfredo sauce if you prefer. Just boil the pasta in a large pot of water. While the pasta cooks, steam the broccoli and cook the chicken strips.
Make sure you taste it, and add salt, pepper, and a little Italian seasoning, onion powder and garlic powder if needed. Red pepper flakes can also be added for a touch of heat.
I have included step by step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and quantities is found in the printable recipe card below.
- Butter. I use salted butter. Olive oil can also be used.
- Chicken Stock. Make your own chicken stock, or chicken broth, or grab a carton.
- Garlic. Measure that with your heart!
- Milk. Half and half or heavy cream can also be used.
- Pasta. This can be any kind of pasta, regular, gluten-free or whole wheat pasta. I use rotini pasta most of the time, but farfalle, shells or any short pasta work great.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper (optional seasonings – see Notes)
- Parmesan Cheese. I use this to flavor up the sauce. Mozzarella cheese can also be used.
- Broccoli. I use fresh broccoli florets, but frozen works GREAT. You could use zucchini, green beans, or peas. Whatever you have on hand is good!
- Chicken. For this recipe I use frozen chicken strips from the store, but any chicken you have (be it grilled chicken breast, chicken thighs or leftover rotisserie chicken)
How to make this recipe
Scroll for Recipe
The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Get prepped
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F, gather your ingredients.
Cook the chicken strips
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and cook the chicken strips for 18-20 minutes.
For the pasta
Melt butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, then cook for a minute or two, then add the broccoli, stock, milk, pasta and some salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then turn down to a medium heat and let it simmer until pasta is tender (al dente) – usually about 10-15 mins, then add salt and black pepper.
Stir in the parmesan, and top with sliced (or whole) chicken strips.
Devour.
If you have tried this recipe or any other recipe on Kylee Cooks, leave a comment and rating – I truly love to hear from you!
Find me on Pinterest, Facebook & Instagram for more delicious recipes!
Want more Easy Pasta Recipes?
- Chili Mac with Turkey. We’re bringing childhood back! Lightened-up with turkey vs beef, and made in one pan – this one is a family favorite!
- Skillet Mac & Cheese. Comfort food at its finest, this skillet mac & cheese is so easy! Just the skillet and a pasta pot, the and a quick broil, and this is ready FAST!
- Florentine Chicken Lasagna Rolls Spinach, garlic, and cheese are all winners for this weeknight dinner! Delicious homemade Alfredo sauce is the key to these!
- Ham Tetrazzini. A super-fast weeknight dinner, this Ham Tetrazzini is a spin on the traditional version and is sure to please the whole family.
Chicken Broccoli Pasta
Suggested Equipment
Ingredients
- 12.5 oz fully cooked frozen chicken strips (half a bag)
- 1 Tbs butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups broccoli cut into florets
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup milk
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
Get prepped
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Gather your ingredients.
Cook the chicken strips
- Cook the chicken strips at 400 degrees F for 18-20 minutes.
For the pasta
- Melt butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium high. Cook the garlic for a minute or two, then add the broccoli, stock, milk, pasta and some salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then turn down to a medium heat and let it simmer until pasta is tender (al dente) – usually about 10-15 mins, then add salt and black pepper.
- Stir in the parmesan, and top with sliced (or whole) chicken strips.
- Devour.
Tips & Notes:
nutrition facts
Nutritional Disclaimer
Recipes written and produced on Kylee Cooks are for informational purposes only. Kylee is not a certified nutritionist. Nutritional data provided on Kylee Cooks has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration.
Update: This recipe was originally published in July of 2018. It was updated and republished in September of 2022.
Becky says
I haven’t made the recipe yet but I was just wishing you could post the volume bag of chicken strips you used or a link to the product on amazon or the like, as I’m trying to use this recipe for meal prepping and that would make it much easier to scale properly while I also have to convert units from imperial to metric. Also, on a related note, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the fact that you have a slider for how many servings; it makes my life way easier, and I will most likely be returning to your site often because of it.
Kylee says
Hey, Becky – it’s a 25oz bag
Monika says
this alfredo pasta looks like everyone in the family would love it, cant wait to give it a try!
Kathy says
This pasta dish was a winner at my house! The kids went for seconds! Putting it on my menu rotation. Thanks
Melissa says
I love a good hearty pasta dish and this one does not disappoint!! The addition of the crispy chicken sounds delish, will have to try this for a quick weeknight meal!
Natalie says
Looks so flavorful and super delicious. I bet my kiddo would love this too. I love how chicken looks so crispy. Just lovely family meal.