Filled with juicy chicken, broccoli and a cheesy alfredo sauce, this Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Bake is a great comfort food meal!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time50 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: alfredo, chicken, pasta, pasta bake
Servings: 8servings
Calories: 546kcal
Author: David
Ingredients
3bonelessskinless chicken breasts, cut into 1” cubes
2medium heads broccoli
16oz.penne pasta
1Tbspolive oil
2Tbspunsalted butter
1medium yellow oniondiced
2tspminced garlic
2Tbspall-purpose flour
1tspItalian seasonings
1tspkosher salt
½tspblack pepper
1cupmilk
1cuplow-sodium chicken stock
½cuphalf-and-half
½cupgrated Parmesan cheese
1½cupsshredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Spray a 9”x13” casserole dish with nonstick spray; set dish aside.
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat.
Quarter each of the heads of broccoli to create 8 large pieces of broccoli. Once pot is boiling, add broccoli and cook for 2 minutes. Remove broccoli and set aside to cool. Once cool, chop broccoli into bite-sized pieces.
Using the same pot of water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Once pasta is done cooking, drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, add olive oil to a large, deep skillet and place over medium-high heat. Once hot, add cubed chicken breasts. Saute, stirring occasionally, for 6-7 minutes, or until chicken is browned. Remove chicken and set aside. (Note: chicken will not be fully cooked at this stage.)
Using the same skillet, add butter, onions and garlic; stir until well combined. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes.
Add flour, Italian seasonings, salt and pepper; stir until well combined. Continue cooking, stirring often, for 1-2 more minutes.
Add milk and chicken stock; stir until well combined. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, add half-and-half along with the cubed chicken and broccoli (from above). Once mixture returns to a boil, remove skillet from heat and transfer mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
Add cooked pasta to dish and stir until well combined.
Top dish with Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until top is golden brown.