Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, split in half horizontally
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the Cream Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
For the Pasta Bake Assembly
- 12 ounces rigatoni pasta, or pasta of choice
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 2 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded, for topping
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, for topping
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil for the pasta.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 375
- 2
Prepare the chicken: Drizzle the split chicken breasts with avocado oil and season generously on both sides with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
⏱️ 3 min
- 3
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the seasoned chicken breasts and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet during the last minute of cooking and baste the chicken with the melted butter. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside on a cutting board to rest.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Cook the pasta: Add the rigatoni (or your chosen pasta) to the boiling salted water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Prepare the cream sauce: In the same skillet used for the chicken, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the onions and garlic, stirring constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Deglaze the pan by slowly pouring in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 3 min
- 7
Stir in the heavy cream. Add the shredded mozzarella cheese, shredded pepper jack cheese, and grated Parmesan cheese. Stir continuously until the cheeses are melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Season the sauce with salt and black pepper to taste.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
To the cream sauce, add the fresh spinach and stir until it wilts. Add the cooked pasta and broccoli florets to the sauce, mixing well to ensure everything is evenly coated.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
Dice one of the cooked chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes. Add the diced chicken to the pasta mixture and stir to combine. Leave the remaining chicken breast whole for topping.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Transfer the pasta mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place the remaining whole cooked chicken breast on top of the pasta mixture. Sprinkle generously with the additional shredded mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 3 min
- 11
Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly and the pasta bake is heated through. Let rest for a few minutes before serving.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 375
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake
For the Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, split in half horizontally
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the Cream Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
For the Pasta Bake Assembly
- 12 ounces rigatoni pasta, or pasta of choice
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 2 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded, for topping
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, for topping
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil for the pasta.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 375 - 2
Prepare the chicken: Drizzle the split chicken breasts with avocado oil and season generously on both sides with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
⏱️ 3 min - 3
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the seasoned chicken breasts and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet during the last minute of cooking and baste the chicken with the melted butter. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside on a cutting board to rest.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Cook the pasta: Add the rigatoni (or your chosen pasta) to the boiling salted water and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Prepare the cream sauce: In the same skillet used for the chicken, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the onions and garlic, stirring constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Deglaze the pan by slowly pouring in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a gentle simmer.
⏱️ 3 min - 7
Stir in the heavy cream. Add the shredded mozzarella cheese, shredded pepper jack cheese, and grated Parmesan cheese. Stir continuously until the cheeses are melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy. Season the sauce with salt and black pepper to taste.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
To the cream sauce, add the fresh spinach and stir until it wilts. Add the cooked pasta and broccoli florets to the sauce, mixing well to ensure everything is evenly coated.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
Dice one of the cooked chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes. Add the diced chicken to the pasta mixture and stir to combine. Leave the remaining chicken breast whole for topping.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Transfer the pasta mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place the remaining whole cooked chicken breast on top of the pasta mixture. Sprinkle generously with the additional shredded mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 3 min - 11
Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly and the pasta bake is heated through. Let rest for a few minutes before serving.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 375