Description
A comforting and satisfying creamy pasta dish featuring rotisserie chicken and vibrant broccoli, perfect for quick weeknight meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb penne pasta
- 1 whole rotisserie chicken (3–4 lbs, shredded; about 4 cups meat)
- 4 cups broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic (minced fine)
- 1 medium yellow onion (diced small)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne pasta according to package directions until al dente. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets to the pasta water.
- Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta and broccoli together and set aside.
- In your largest skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium-low heat. Cook the diced onion for about 4-5 minutes until softened, then add the minced garlic for an additional 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer for about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat before adding the cheeses to prevent graininess. Whisk in Parmesan and mozzarella until completely smooth and creamy. Season with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, if desired.
- Toss the drained pasta and broccoli into the creamy sauce, using tongs to coat everything evenly. Fold in the shredded rotisserie chicken last.
- Add reserved pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time until you achieve a creamy, glossy consistency. Stir in a cold knob of butter just before serving.
Notes
For added flavor, consider roasting your broccoli instead of boiling it. This dish can be made lighter by using half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: pasta, chicken, broccoli, creamy, weeknight meal, comfort food, easy recipe